Coby's Magical Misadventure
by OZ x OZ
Summary: Due to a series of unfortunate events, Master Chief Petty Officer Coby finds himself in Earthland. What is a martial artist gonna do around all of these mages? Will he adapt to this new world of magic, or crumble under the loss of his old one? Pairing undecided.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

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It was night out in the East Blue. The moon shone brightly, the only source of light other than the tiny flickering lights of a lone Marine ship.

The Marine ship was named _Argentus_, with a complement of over 100 Marines and commanded by a certain Commodore Mathias Terry. It was, like her sister ships of both South and East Blue, heading to a particular destination.

Their destination was the Marine HQ at Marinford, and all were heading there for the same two reasons. Firstly was the execution of Portgas D. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Secondly was the war between the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates themselves. The one that had been brewing for a long time, and that they all knew was about to happen.

Thoughts and opinions on the matter ranged from marine to marine. Some relished the chance of killing the subordinates of the 'World's Strongest'. Others would fight out of fear, of the sheer terror that Whitebeard and his men brought to both the Blues and the Grand Line alike. Some just wanted a place in history, alongside the Admirals, the Greatest Military Powers, the strongest fighting force within the Marines that would lead them. Indeed, all three Admirals would be present, along with the Vice Admirals, under the command of Fleet Admiral 'Buddha' Sengoku. As if that were not enough, they would _also _be accompanied by five of the seven Ouka Shichibukai, the dreaded privateers who served the World Government for their own reasons, be it wealth, power, or something unknown.

And there were those who were simply afraid. They did not want to die, to depart from their loved ones.

Master Chief Petty Officer Coby was one of them.

The pinkette was out on the deck of the _Argentus_, leaning on the deck and staring out over the sea. Most of the crew were eating in the mess, sleeping, or attending to other duties. .

'_I know I've gotten stronger…I know it. I can take on pirates with bounties as high as 20 million beries and I can finally fend for myself now. And yet, why am I…_'

"I thought I'd find you out here."

The sudden voice broke Coby's train of thought. The speaker happened to be none other than Commodore Terry, white tuxedo and signature coat with the symbol "Justice" on the back. The dark shrouded his eyes, partly due to his cap.

"Commodore Sir!" Coby about-faced and gave a sharp salute, body and face as rigid as stone. Terry nodded.

"At ease" Coby's posture returned to normal.

"Sir, may I ask why you are doing out here?" he asked. "It's pretty late." Terry chuckled.

"No reason really, I just wanted to go for a walk. And besides, we will reach the Calm Belt soon so I decided to stay up until we reach the Belt" explained the Commodore.

"Oh I see." Coby turned his head out to the water and leaned against the guardrail. Terry walked up besides him and saw the look on his face.

"Why the face Petty Officer?" asked Terry. Coby looked to him again.

"Oh…it's nothing…just thinking"

"About the war that is to come I take it?"

"Yes Sir." Terry nodded.

"I don't blame you. Quite the number of men on this ship feel the same way, as does your friend Helmeppo."

"Preparing for, and fighting in, a war were you may likely meet your end is a horrible feeling, but waiting for such a war…" Coby didn't finish, as Terry understood.

"It's a terrible sensation no doubt about it. I say that the eve of a battle is even worse than the battle itself" said the Commodore. Coby lowered his head in shame.

"I don't want to die. There are so many things I want to do. I mean other than being an Admiral and stopping the evil pirates, there are other things I want to do. Things I want to see and hear." He ruefully chuckled. "I must be a coward, mustn't I Sir."

'_Just like how I once was when I was Chore Boy…_'

"Nonsense," Terry retorted, smiling. "A coward is not a man who is not afraid to speak his mind. You have a unique trait about you Coby, and it shows even after your training under Vice Admiral Garp."

That brought back memories, some pleasant, some less so. The training he and Helmoppo had received from Garp, after foiling Morgan's prison escape, had been a taste of hell. Garp gave the term 'slave driver' a whole new subtext. His method of teaching the Soru, first and most basic technique of the revered _Rokushiki_ style, was to throw cannon balls at his students. They had somehow survived, only to suffer numerous sprained fingers whiled learning the second technique, the Shigan. After that was the third technique, the Rankyaku, which was earned at the cost of many leg cramps.

It had been painful, but profitable, for Coby had mastered 3 of the vaunted 6 techniques of the Rokushiki. He learned the theory behind the Geppou, but the doing of it required using the Soru in midair, making it hard to master. Garp, on the off chance that he would die in the coming war, had given Coby and Helmeppo separate books on the final two techniques, along with the secret techniques.

The Kami-e, by which the body would become as light as paper and dodging would be as easy as blinking.

The Tekkai, by which his body would become as hard as iron, a formidable defense. And finally, the secret technique that took years of pain, discipline, and absolute commitment to master. The vaulted Six Kings Gun, or the Rokuougan, mastered only by Garp and the strongest member of the now disbanded CP9, Rob Lucci.

But the pleasant memories made it all worthwhile. Garp treated Coby and Helmeppo equally, favouring neither over the other. Garp had become the closest thing Coby ever had to a grandfather. Compared to that, blood, sweat, and tears were nothing at all.

"Well, it's nothing really. I mean, me and Helmeppo can take on Pirates with bounties as high as 15 million berries, but if anything him and me are just common grunts. We'll just be getting in the way for the big names like Admiral Aokiji and Kizaru."

Terry stood silent as he watched the ocean far ahead.

"Coby…what is your dream?" he asked.

"My dream? Well it's to become Admiral of course. I originally joined the Marines in order to hunt down all of the bad pirates and…" he was interrupted by a shout far up above on the crow's nest.

"Commodore!" Terry looked and walked away from Coby, who stood puzzled.

"Report nest!" he yelled.

"Ship closing in ahead on the port bow!"

"Is it one of ours?"

"It's not a Marine ship! It's more like a giant raft!"

Suddenly flashes of light drew Coby and Terry's attention out to the ocean. Terry narrowed his eyes.

"Morse Code. They want to board. Nest!" Terry yelled up the mast. Hail them back! Tell them to identify and state their business!"

Already some other Marines had come up on deck, curious as to what was happening.

"Hey Coby, what's going on?" asked Helmeppo as he joined up with his fellow Marine. Calling them friends would be odd. Companions and fellow students would be a more appropriate term. After all, it would be odd to call someone a friend when you first met them they had a gun to your head.

"Some ship is hailing us" responded the pinkette to his visor-wearing confidante. The blonde man nodded, looking for himself.

"Sir you won't believe this!" yelled out the Crows Nest from Terry's Den Den Mushi. He took out and responded.

"Who is it?"

"Sir, it's Shichibukai Blackbeard and his crew! They want to talk to you sir!"

Terry's eyes widened as did those of most of the marines as they murmured and talked about themselves,

"Shichibukai? Like Sir Crocodile from Baroque Works and Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress?"

"Isn't Blackbeard is the guy who captured Portgas D. Ace!"

"Wouldn't the Shichibukai be gathering at Marinford?"

"What are they doing here?"

As murmurs broke out, Coby could not shake the feeling in his gut that his night will not end well. Terry growled.

"Clear the deck! Make way for Ouka Shichibukai Blackbeard!" he barked, the men scrambling to their respective positions. As the raft came alongside, a ladder was lowered down to it. The ladder went taught, and Coby got a good look at the dreaded Shichibukai and his crew as they boarded the _Argentus._

"Zehahahahaha!" The first man barked a laugh. "Quiet the neat looking ship you got runnin' here, Commodore!"

It was a middle-aged man with a massive build, several broken or missing teeth, a pronounced crooked nose and a very large and hairy chest and torso, covered by a red shirt. Long, thick, curly black hair fell down the back of his neck, underneath a black bandanna, and a small scruffy black beard grows around his jawline. A tricorn hat sat atop the bandanna, and a necklace of beads hung from his thick neck. In his sash were thrust three loaded pistols and a flask.

Following him behind that vision of nautical violence were several others. Next up was a tall and rather thin man with a heavily-customized rifle on his shoulders. After him was another big man, almost as big as the first, wearing a mask and some sort of golden belt. That specimen was followed, bizarrely enough, by a sickly-looking man riding an equally sickly horse. Last, but by no means least, was a tall, pale man wearing a top hat and carrying a cane.

"Shichibukai Blackbeard. May I ask to why you wish to speak to me? Do you not have a Den Den Mushi?" asked Terry.

"Well we don't have one," rumbled Blackbeard, still smiling. "And Auger gets bored real fast just by flashing lights for Morse Code, so I decided that we talk face to face."

"I see then," replied the Commodore. "May I ask what it is you wish to discuss about? We are short on time and need to make haste to Marinford. You should do so as well."

"Zehahaha! Straight to the point I see! You see, what we need to discuss is this. We need your ship," said Blackbeard, grinning like a madman. This caused the marines around them to start chatting.

"Your ship does not possess seastone I take it?" asked Terry.

"That's right. After all, Sengoku needs all the help he can get to stopping ole Whitebeard, and the Calm Belt is crawling with Sea Kings, so I am sure you can figure it out from there." Terry nodded in agreement.

"I see then…" he was interrupted.

"Oh, and Terry?" Terry turned around.

"Yes?"

"Mind if we make a quick little detour to Impel Down?" oiled Blackbeard, still grinning. "Never been there." This cause another wave of chatter among the Marines.

"Why is the Shichibukai interested in Impel Down?"

"Maybe he wants to see what it could have been like if he wasn't aligned with the Government?"

Terry narrowed his eyes.

"I am afraid I cannot obey this order, Shichibukai Blackbeard. All Commodores have strict orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself to head straight to Marinford without delay." This caused the massive man to sigh.

"I see then." Terry's eyes widened.

A loud bang reverberated over the ocean, and Commodore Terry's body hit the deck with a thump. Coby's eyes widened as the thin man lowered his smoking rifle.

"Commodore Terry!"

"Bastard!"

"Do you realize what you've done!"

"Damn pirate scum!"

The Marines turned on the Pirates, drawing swords and leveling guns. They cared not that they faced Shichibukai, only that their Commodore was dead.

Coby was in shock, the old fear roiling inside him. Only moments ago he had been talking to Terry. Now he was dead, in a pool of his own blood.

Blackbeard grinned manically as dark wisps began to emanate from his body. He slammed his hand into the deck, the planks cracking around it.

"**Black Hole**!" he roared as darkness, sheer darkness, swept on the deck towards the marines. Their screams were silenced as the blackness sucked them in. They didn't get so much as a shot off.

Coby and Helmeppo were fortunate enough to use_ Soru_ and dodge the darkness, retreating to the far side of the ship. Coby fell on his bottom and started to shiver.

"Is this…the power of a Shichibukai!" he stuttered. Helmeppo was no different.

"I-I...I..." stammered the blonde man as he jumped over the side blubbering in fear. Coby didn't pay attention to any noise afterwards. He was too scared to even move.

"**Liberation**!" The darkness swirled into a tornado as it started to spew out the men it consumed into the ocean below. Blackbeard was laughing.

"Zehahahahahaha! Stupid Marines! As if they could stand a chance agains the power of Yami Yami no Mi!"

"Hey Captain you missed one over there!" called the masked man. Blackbeard stopped laughing and saw Coby, sitting stunned on the deck. He grinned as Coby noticed that they spotted him.

"Well well well, now what are we going to do with you, little boy" oiled Blackbeard as he lumbered over to the shivering Petty Officer. Coby could do nothing but gawk at the nightmarish form approaching him. He was having visions of Alvida.

'_I'm gonna die! I'm really gonna die!_'

"Well, seeing that you haven't jumped the ship like your cowardly friend there, you must have some guts. Tell me kid, wanna be apart of history?" asked Blackbeard as he squatted down. The other men and horse followed towards their Captain.

Coby could not respond, the '_I'm gonna die!_' mantra repeating itself over and over in his head as he visibly shook.

"Captain. This child may have not jumped not out of bravery but due to being paralyzed out of extreme fear. He's coward nothing more," droned the rifle man.

"We could use that weird dial we found earlier", suggested the man in the top-hat. "We could test it out on this little brat right here. After all, better for him to be our guinea pig." He danced his feet once or twice, tap-shoes tapping on the deck. Blackbeard sighed.

"Well, I guess you guys are right. Better to be safe than sorry." He reached into his coat and grabbed an oblong seashell, shaped much like an ankh and coloured a rippling spectrum, almost like a rainbow.

"Well kid, sorry to say this, but today you're gonna die. It's nothing personal though, at least you'll be in a better place." The Shichibukai turned the button on the dial and swung his arm, aiming the device at Coby. The young Marine was too paralyzed with terror to move. His eyes bulged, a scream bursting from his lungs as a flash of light blinded his eyes.

Then darkness overtook him.

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**Now I can see some of my followers maybe bummed for no Darkmask or Words, but I wanted to get this out of the way as this was a great idea. Not to mention that when this fic is posted, it would be the first English Fairy TailxOne Piece crossover.**

**I love both series, as they have characters that you just gotta love. Not to mention both series are similar. I don't understand the Gerard hatred either, I mean, as like my good confidant and inspiration for this fic. He helped point me in the right direction and what and what not to do in this fic. Afterall, it is the first English one. Can't leave a bad impression.**

**Coby knows only 3 Rokushiki techniques, the Soru, Rankyaku, and Shigan. He knows how to use the Geppou, but not that well. He is getting to understand the basics of the Tekkai as well(such are the perks of being trained under one of the strongest man in the One Piece world). He has no clue on how to utilize the Kami-e or the Rokuougan, and I won't have him learning the strongest Rokushiki move at LEAST the end of the Oracion Seis/Edolas arc.**

**Now pairings, I am completely undecided.**

**Edit: Kinda edited, on some obvious spelling mistakes and whatnot.**

**Until next time fellow readers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

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Deep within a hollow tree trunk in a forest, there came a flash of light, followed by a quick scream.

Coby, who for sure was going to die at the hands of Shichibukai Blackbeard, found himself inside that tree trunk, still holding his arms over him to protect himself, face clenched in terror.

Then, after hearing the sounds of birds and the like in the forest, he opened his eyes, and took in his surroundings.

"What the….Wait, where am I?" he said aloud, as he crawled out from under the hollow and took in the sight of the forest. The light of the sun beamed through the trees, and Coby couldn't help but be awestruck at the sight. He had never seen such a forest, such glorious nature.

He realized that he was no longer on the _Argentus_, and started to check himself. He rummaged in his pockets, finding two of the Baby Den Den Mushi two-way communicators and Garp's guidebook to mastering the arts of the Rokushiki. The pinkette activated the Den Den Mushi.

"Hello? This is Master Chief Petty Officer Coby of the Marines, 44th Naval Regiment. Is there anyone there?" he asked.

The snail didn't respond.

"This is Master Chief Petty Officer Coby, please respond." He asked again.

Nothing.

"Anyone?"

No response, the snail's face remained neutral. The pinkette sighed.

"Great. I'm outside of contact. Did that 'dial' or whatever they called it sent me here?" Coby asked himself. He pocketed the snail-phone and looked around the forest. So far, nothing but trees and shrubbery. He shook his head.

"Guess I better find civilization, hopefully there's a Marine outpost nearby," he mused as he walked onward through the bushes.

Coby walked for some time, but the forest seemed endless. It irked him that he could not find a road.

As he began to wonder if the forest was limitless, he heard the faintest of sounds in the distance. It was rhythmic, in a repeating pattern, giving him the impression of tribal drumming or some such.

"Finally!" He said as he broke into a run. As he moved closer to the drumming, he could hear the sound of voices yelling, or chanting. All at once he came upon a long yellow wall, much taller than himself. On the other side, the yelling and chanting blended with the drumming. Whatever ritual it was a part of seemed to be reaching its climax.

"I guess I found some sort of primitive nation? But where on the Grand Line would such a nation be at? I'm sure that most of it, save the New World has been colonized," mused Coby. Examining the wall, he saw stones jutting out of it.

"Might as well take a look," said Coby to himself as he began his climb. It took little time, and as he reached the top he was not even winded.

He was sitting atop the edge of a stadium. The chanting and beating he had earlier was coming from a bunch of people dressed in purple on the stadium floor. At the parlor section at the far end of the stadium, there were three men.

One of the men sitting down was older than Coby, wearing a white robe and a mask with a purple eye on his chest. To his side, the other two men are much larger, almost like sumo wrestlers. One carried a hulking axe and the other a pair of swords. The purple-clothed acolytes were swaying back and forth as they chanted, but Coby's horrified attention was drawn to the center.

There were three people tied to poles in the center of the stadium, the acolytes dancing and capering around them. One was a large boy and the other two were young girls. All of them were younger than the Marine, and had grey-silver hair. The boy seemed to be on the verge of tears, as was one of the girls, but the other one glared defiantly at what seemed to be the High Priest, seated up on his dais.

Coby growled, angry and offended. The World Government should have purged native tribes that used human sacrifice long ago. How could they have missed this one? Were they so set on Whitebeard that they ignored one of their very one doctrines?

Maybe he was in the New World after all?

The High Priest stood up and seemed to be talking, as the chanters bellowed some ancient word Coby didn't understand. He ordered the large man with the axe to the center of the auditorium. Coby had little idea of what was about to happen.

"Not on my watch!" he shouted, leaping over the wall and charging down to the arena. Acolytes, captives, lackeys, and High Priest all turned to him in what looked like surprise, only to see an enraged teenage boy in a white uniform leap into the air in front of them. Coby came down hard, the impact throwing up a cloud of dust and hurling men left and right.

As the dust cleared, Coby heard the shouts of the High Priest.

"How dare this infidel disrupt our ritual!" bellowed the High Priest. "Kill him and show him what it means to trifle with the servants of Lord Zeref!"

Coby didn't pay attention. He had better things to do, such as deliver the cultists to justice and save the kids.

The cultists encircled the pinkette, knives held out in front. Coby stood where he was, showing no fear. He would _not_ show fear to creatures such as they. He glanced at the prisoners, who were staring at him in disbelief. The girl who had been glaring wore goth-themed clothes, while the boy wore a blue shirt and trousers, the smaller girl a dress.

"Watch out!" cried the goth girl, as one of the cultists charged. Coby stood firm, readying his arm.

"_Shigan_," he muttered, jabbing his right index finger into the cultist's chest, stopping him in his tracks. Coby withdrew his finger, blood dripping from the tip as the man fell, writhing in agony as blood seeped from the bullet like wound. After a moment's pause, five more cultists charged, waving and jabbing with their knives.

"_Shigan_." He jabbed the first cultist that reached him, then the one to his left. One fell, the other staggered, long enough for Coby to grab him and throw him into the crowd, knocking them down like so many ninepins. Two more closed in.

"_Soru_!" Coby kicked the ground in rapid succession, shifting like a flash of light, the two cultists lunging through empty air to strike each other. Coby struck the cultist in front of him, driving his finger into the man's neck, instantly killing him.

"_Killing a criminal is not a good or a bad thing. We kill evil to uphold justice and protect the innocent, but never enjoy killing," _Coby heard Garp speaking into his head, one of the lessons he learned from the grizzly vice Admiral.

"_For if you reach the point that you enjoy the art of killing, then you become no better than the monster you are hunting."_

All thee fell down. Another foolish cultist charged, this one wielding a staff.

"_Rankyaku_." Coby kicked, an azure crescent blade leaping from the sole of his foot to dice the cultist from shoulder to groin.

The remaining cultists began to back away, their courage spent.

"Amazing…" said the boy.

"Is he a mage? I never seen a mage fight like that!" Added the smaller girl. The goth girl remained silent, in awe of the boy's skill. The High Priest's mask covered his eyes, but his mouth was twisted in fury.

"You will pay for this infidel! Sodom! Gomorrah! Kill him!" He pointed his staff towards the Marine and the two giant men jumped, landing on opposite sides of Coby, causing the remaining cultists to scatter.

"You know, just being big doesn't mean you're strong" growled Coby as he stared down the axe wielder, Sodom, to his right. He turned towards the sword user, Gomorrah, who smirked.

"You may have been able to kill a few neophytes mage, but we are the Mymridons of High Priest Baghira, the Prophet of the Legendary Black Mage Zeref."

"Who the hell is Zeref?" demanded Coby. "Some underworld scum of a boss setting you guys for fools?" If the looks on their faces were anything to go by, he had just made them very angry.

"You dare call the Legendary Black Mage, the most feared mage in the history of Earthland, scum_!_" roared Sodom. Now Coby was intrigued.

"Earthland?" he whispered to himself. Where he was from, the only place to have a climate like this would be in northern Mariejois or maybe even the New World. But Earthland?

'_I'm alive so I am not dead, so what is this Earthland? Some island in the New World_?' Thought the marine, now unsure of where he is. He shook his head.

'_Location doesn't matter right now. I need to save those kids, no matter what._'

Sodom charged, axe high in a two handed grip. Coby dodged with a simple jump, rolling to safety as the axe crashed into the dirt. He saw a shadow on the ground before him, and looked up to see Gomorrah swinging his massive swords. Coby spun around, striking the giant's calf with _Soru _and_ Shigan_. The giant yelled in pain as he stumbled. Coby saw his chance and leapt onto the giant's back, grabbed his ears and pulled, keeping one leg on his back.

"Let go! Arrrgh!" roared Gomorrah as he dropped his swords and reached to grab the marine.

"_Rankyaku_!" Coby used his free leg to kick one of the hands, slicing it in a welter of blood. The giant roared in pain as he kneeled over, grabbing his wounded hand.

"You'll pay for this!" yelled Sodom as he raised his axe to slay the marine on the giants neck. Coby let go, dodging the falling axe as it buried itself in Gomorrah's neck. The giant collapsed, dead, Sodom gasping with shock as he realized his fatal mistake.

Coby knew he could not hesitate. Flickering like a mirage, his Soru took him between Sodom's legs. He knew he could not make an improved _Shigan_, but decided to give this unique version a name.

"_Shigan Tsubaki_!" He thrust both of his arms into the hamstrings of the giant, who roared and fell over, no longer able to stand. Coby used _Soru_ again and found himself at the neck of the giant. He readied his leg and swung, a blue blade of pressurized air slicing the giant's neck and spine.

Coby took a moment to wipe the dust from his white jacket, then walked over to the captives, who regarded him with disbelieving awe. His serious expression melted into a smile as he drew near. The cultists had already fled.

"Another day at the office," he muttered. But then he broke out to a grin. "You guys okay?" he asked, hands on hips and smiling. The goth girl broke from her stupor.

"Who are you? Which guild did you come from and what is that magic!" she said, voice raised in disbelief. Coby cocked his head in confusion.

"Magic?" pondered Coby. Could they be talking about the Devil Fruits?

"Well duh! That air blade thingy, you teleporting from place to the next, an instant death-jab. You totally used magic! Now what guild are you in!" demanded the goth girl. The younger girl looked a bit embarrassed.

"Mira, this guy saved us, we should…"

"You'll pay for these transgressions infidel!" roared a voice. Coby and the captives turned their heads and saw the High Priest glowing purple. The goth girl, evidently named Mira, stared with eyes wide. The High Priest began to grow up and out, his features changing from human to feline. His limbs lengthened and shifted, muscle and bone moving under skin that sprouted thick fur.

Then the transformation was complete, a gigantic panther stood in his place.

"Tremble before the power in which Zeref bestowed upon me!" roared Baghira. "_Take Over Magic: Pantera_!" He roved towards Coby and the now-trembling captives, pawing the ground as if readying to charge. Coby looked surprised but then went serious.

"So you're a Zoan type Devil Fruit user huh?" he mused.

"Zoan type? You dare call me by such a vague and vulgar name? And my magic is much more potent than this 'Devil Fruit' you speak of," rumbled the giant panther.

"Honestly, I don't know where I am and I need to report to the nearest base, so I'll finish this quickly," said Coby as he stood there and slid into a combat stance.

'_Now to see if Garp's technique worked,_' he thought.

Concentrate…Focus all your strength into your arm. Think of it as a cannon, your fist the cannon ball, and your mind the fuse…

"What're you doing standing there! Run away!" yelled the little girl. The boy was shivering in fear while Mira couldn't decide whether to be mad that their savior was just standing there or frightened of imminent death.

Baghira narrowed his eyes and pounced towards Coby.

"Die!" He roared.

Coby thought back to before he and Helmeppo went different ways from their master Garp, and the tutelage of the technique in which Garp earned his nickname, Garp the Hero, the only Rokushiki variant technique the pinkette knew.

"You first" he growled. Just when Baghira got within arms distance, maw open to bite, Coby struck first. His fist caught the beast's jaw, the blow resounding through the entire stadium.

"_Jyugan! Yuusha no Gouken_!"

Baghira flew across the stadium, landing in the stands opposite with a crash, a tunnel of wind following after. The stadium collapsed in on the High Priest, burying him in debris.

Coby turned towards the kids, panting as he placed his hands on his knees.

_'Well…at least I can use it in the field. Much more tiring than using Shigan though,_' thought Coby as he panted.

"Are you okay! Did that magic backfire or something!" asked the boy.

"Can you let us go now? The cult guy isn't moving," said the little girl. Coby noticed and laughed heartily.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that," the pinkette replied sheepishly as he grabbed a knife from one of the fallen cultists and cut the rope bounding the kids to the poles.

"Freedom!" exclaimed the boy, excited and relieved. The little girl went up to Coby.

"How can we ever thank you" she chirped. "You saved us mister!" Coby rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Just doing my job. If I didn't intervene, you guys may have been dead by now" he replied. The goth girl, Mira, walked over.

"Thank you a lot for saving us, but back to my earlier question, what guild are you from?" she asked. Coby wore look of confusion.

"Guild? What are you talking about? You mean like a 'Writer's Guild' or a 'Blacksmiths Guild' or something?" Mira brought a hand to her face.

"Okay seriously quit joking around, what Guild are you from!" she demanded, evidently losing her temper. "Are you an S-class mage? Rune Knights? Freelancer?" Coby looked lost. Her terminology made no sense to him.

"S-class? Rune Knights? Look I never heard of things like this before. Never heard of Zeref or mages or whatever. Could you explain?" asked the marine. Mira sighed.

"Alright, but not here. Too many flies," she gestured at the fallen cultists, their bodies already swarming with black flies, as she walked onwards to the stadium exit.

"Talk about pushy" said Coby, thinking aloud.

"That's Mirajane for ya. She's much nicer once you get to know her. I'm Elfman by the way" said the younger boy as he held out his hand.

"And I'm Lisanna! Thank you so much again!" chirped Lisanna.

"I'm Coby, I'm with the Marines, 44th Naval Regiment," said the pinkette as they walked after Mirajane. Elfman looked puzzled.

"I never heard of a guild called 'The Marines' or this Naval Regiment. They new?" he asked. Coby looked incredulous.

"What rock have you been hiding under! The Marines are the safeguard of the people! The shield and sword of the World Government! Am I that deep in the New World that no ones a thing that goes on in the world!" bellowed Coby in offended pride.

"World Government?" Lisanna looked confused.

"How come you never heard of these things before?" asked a now _very _bewildered Coby.

"Well we have a Magic Council that rules over the magic guilds here in Fiore. We never heard a World Government or this New World," replied Elfman.

New World…

The penny dropped.

The odd cultists, a Black Mage Zeref', magic, no knowledge of the World Government or the Marines, Earthland, Fiore, Magic Council, Guilds. Coby had never heard of such things in his life. And the weird dial, the flash of light…

He was no longer in the world he knew.

He was right on one thing, he was in a new world, but not the one of his own world.

He was in the world of mages, Earthland.

* * *

**Theres chapter 2 for ya, next one up will be Darkmask.**

**And yes, this is about 6 years before FT canon, so Coby will be getting stronger during that time. He is 14 at the moment, so he will be 20 when FT canon begins.**

**Mirajane is 13, Elfman is 12, and Lisanna is 11.**

**Shigan Tsubaki means Finger Gun: Two Pure Places(also named after the flower Tsubaki)**

**Jyugan: Yuusha no Gouken(Beast Fist: Hero's Iron Fist)**

**Pantera: Spanish for leopard king**

**Huge thanks to Artful Lounger for the Time management thing.**

**Edited by Juubi-K.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

'_No…It can't be'._

Coby couldn't believe it.

It was impossible. Improbable.

How could such a dial have the power to transcend even worlds, possibly universes?

The marine dropped to his knees, overwhelmed. The younger children turned to him in obvious concern.

"Are you okay mister?" asked Lisanna, taking Coby's hand in her much smaller one.

"You look sick. Do you need a doctor?" asked Elfman. Coby could only remain silent, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

Helmeppo. Garp. His comrades. His mother and father.

Luffy.

All of them gone, not of this world. Not dead, but separated, with no way to return.

Ever.

His dream of becoming an Admiral, his promise to Luffy, all down the drain.

His fists clenched in anger. Anger at Blackbeard, and the Shichibukai, for sending him to this place where he could never achieve his dreams, not even if he died for them, the way Luffy would have done.

He felt someone shaking his shoulders, but he didn't care.

"Snap out of it!" Mirajane snapped. "You handled all of those evil cultists easily and now your getting jitters just by walking! What's wrong with you!"

"Mira, cut it out! He saved us! You could at least show some gratitude!" whined Lisanna, coming to the older boy's defense. The goth huffed and turned, ready to talk back to her younger sibling. The sound of voices in the foliage cut her off.

"Mirajane! Lisanna! Elfman! Is that you?" The voice was that of an old man, and somewhat familiar.

From the forest emerged a regular dwarf of an old man, bald but for a rim of white hair at the back of his head, a thick white moustache crowning his upper lip. Following him was a much taller man who looked to be in his mid thirties. His auburn hair stood up in spikes, and his chin was covered in fine stubble. At the sight of them, Lisanna and Elfman beamed like the sun. Mirajane simply smiled.

"Master Makarov! You came!" cheered Lisanna as she ran towards the dwarf, whom she just about matched in height. She tackled him in a joyful hug.

"I'm so glad you're all alright kids!" The elder smiled back as he looked them all over. "Are any of you hurt?"

"You brought the Old Guy too! Awesome!" awed Elfman. The other man looked irked.

"Hey I'm only 37! I'm not old!" Mirajane chuckled at his reaction.

"Is that gray hair I am starting to see Gildarts? I have to say age has not been kind to you" smirked the goth. The man, evidently named Gildarts, matched her smirk with one of his own.

"Looks who's talking."

All of them laughed, apart from Lisanna who hurried over to the still unmoving Coby.

"Master Makarov! This is the nice mister that saved us from the bad people! You should have seen it!" Makarov walked over, interested.

"I see. Is this true Elfman? Mirajane?"

"That's right!" exclaimed Elfman. "He was disappearing all over the place, had a finger touch of doom, an air blade, and he was super strong! He knocked out a Take Over mage with just a single punch!"

"What he said," commented Mirajane. Coby remained catatonic.

'_My dream…my parents…'_

"Well my boy you…you…don't look so good," commented the dwarf as he took a closer look at Coby's ashen, shock-plastered face.

'_My comrades…Luffy…'_

"Maybe his magic has a drawback?" mused Gildarts.

Then all of the sudden, the boy fell over in a dead faint.

"Oh no mister!" cried out Lisanna. Makarov placed his hand over the pinkette's head.

"He seems okay, if anything it maybe exhaustion or…"

"Shock. Extreme Shock" finished Gildarts. Mirajane looked up.

"Extreme Shock?"

"The kid must have fainted because he realized something. That look on his face, his unresponsiveness, it screams shock, but I never saw it to this degree. Did the kid see anything bad while saving you guys?"

"Well…" Elfman thought for a moment. "He didn't seem to have a problem killing the cultists, so that can't be it."

"We'll talk about it later" Makarov took charge. "This boy needs medical attention, or a bed at least. Let's return back to town and stay at the inn." The group nodded. Gildarts hoisted the unconscious marine on his shoulders, and they made their way into town.

_3 hours later…_

"Hey everyone! He's waking up!" chirped Lisanna as her siblings walked in, Makarov and Gildarts behind them. Coby stirred, and his eyes fluttered open.

He was in a small room, in what might have been a tavern or a cheap hotel. Turning his head, his clearing vision made out a beaming Lisanna, a worried-looking Elfman, and an uncaring Mirajane by his bed. Gildarts and Makarov were on the other side, faces neutral. He woke up with a smile, until he turned towards the group of mages.

"So it's not a dream then…" he muttered sadly. Makarov's eyebrows rose.

"A dream? What do you mean my boy?" he asked. Coby looked towards him. Maybe he was in some land out in the New World, away from the Government, maybe…just maybe…

"Do you know of the World Government? Whitebeard? The Marines? Pirates?" Mirajane sighed in frustration as Makarov thought.

"Well we do have the normal sea pirates, but they are few and far between. I am afraid I have never of a 'Whitebeard' or this World Government before".

"Same goes for the Marines as well. Are they a guild?" asked Gildarts. Coby shook his head.

"Whats up with all this weird terminology? Did you hit your head on something?" Asked Elfman. Coby shook his head.

" You won't believe it, even if I told you."

"I've seen many things throughout my years," Makarov assured him kindly. "Say whatever you like." For some reason Coby felt at ease around the dwarf.

"Well…I'm not from this world. I wasn't born here in this 'Earthland', or whatever it is you call this world," said Coby. Mirajane scoffed.

"Those cultists hit you on the head or something when I wasn't looking did they!" the goth retorted sharply. "As if there's another world! Give me a break!"

"Manners Mirajane," scolded Gildarts. "Go on Coby, you won't be judged." Coby nodded sadly, sitting up and looking at the covers.

"I was born in East Blue, in a world that was in the middle of the Great Pirate Era brought forth by the death of the Pirate King, Gold Roger. The pirates were completely out of control, breeding like rabbits thanks to the will Roger left them. So the World Government and the Marines had to do whatever it took to defeat them."

"This Roger guy left a will for ALL pirates? Sounds kinda weird" commented Elfman.

"It was actually a declaration," Coby went on. "He said that his treasure, One Piece, was hidden and he was leaving the entire thing for any pirate to take. They say One Piece is the greatest and grandest treasure the world has ever seen."

"A treasure fit for a king. It's like one of those fairy tales!" beamed Lisanna.

"The only problem was, that treasure is the reason for the boom of criminal activity in my world. Piracy got so bad that the World Government had to enlist strong pirates as privateers. They were known as the _Ouka Shichibukai"_. Coby's face darkened at the thought of Blackbeard.

"And let me guess. These privateers had to turn over some of their loot and assist this 'World Government' in times of crisis," mused Makarov. Coby nodded.

"But from what I was told, the Shichibukai hated working together, and had no interest in keeping the peace," the young marine seethed. "They joined to get the bounties off their heads, or the noose from round their necks. What's more, they have a rather long leash for what they do." Makarov nodded, understanding.

"The Council has some privateers under their service."

"I was sent here by one of the Shichibukai known as Blackbeard, by some shell, or 'dial' as he called it. It looked very rare too…" mused Coby, curiosity replacing his anger as he pictured the wondrous device.

"That would explain why you don't know about mages and Guilds and all the other stuff we have around here," said Elfman.

"Well I am sorry to hear that my boy. It does sound that you are not of this world. Tell me, from what Mirajane has told me, you quite adept in the field of some unknown magic. Is that right?" asked Makarov.

"I don't use magic. I'm a martial artist," replied Coby.

"Martial Artist?" asked Lisanna.

"I'm a fighter, a user of the Rokushiki style in fact" answered the pinkette.

"Rokushiki?" asked Gildarts, face blank.

"It's my fighting style." Makarov took all of this in and nodded.

"Well it appears that these 'martial arts' is very similar to magic from what Lisanna and Elfman said. Tell me my boy, would you like to join my guild Fairy Tail? Very few people would tell the difference between this 'martial arts' of yours and magic."

"A guild?" Coby looked at the old man in bewilderment. Mirajane sighed in frustration.

"Did you not remember what I said earlier! A guild is…!"

"Manners Mirajane," Gildarts interjected again.

"Here I'll explain for ya kid. The guilds are the main power in the Kingdom of Fiore, the country we live in now, and some other magical nations here in Earthland, like Basco or Caelum for example. Under the King and the Government is the Magic Council, which enforces rules over the guilds to uphold lawful employment of mages, like myself and Makarov here, and other forms of employment while making sure they don't cause trouble. Guilds not approved by the Council are known as Dark Guilds. Dark Guilds generally end up that way due to partaking in illegal activities, like organized crime or assassination."

"So a Dark Guild would be like a pirate crew?" asked Coby.

"Judging by how your world works, it's the closest parallel, so I would assume yes," Gildarts replied. "All legal guilds are connected. Their Guild Masters, like Master Makarov here, form a Local Guild Master League, which meet every now and then to discuss on current matters. It is from these guilds that mages can take jobs or requests for money and other rewards. It is also where mages can hone their skills as well and become stronger and master their craft."

Coby took all of this in.

As far as he could figure out, the Magic Council was the governmental body controlling the mages. Dark Guilds were equivalent to pirate crews of the Grand Line, judging by how weak pirates were in this world compared to his own. The Rokushiki could pass for magic, so no one would question it much.

The pinkette doubted he would ever find a way back. Besides, all that awaited him was a Court Martial for going AWOL, unless someone came to his defence. Like Garp.

But Garp was more than likely dead if he took part in the upcoming battle at Marinford, and even Helmeppo might be Sea King food by now. If Luffy were there…

"_Make the best of what you got! Make friends and have fun to the fullest! So what if you can't be Admiral in this world! Be an S-class mage or a Guild Master or something or whatever they call it! It sounds familiar_!"

Coby smiled as he turned towards the dwarf, his decision made. He'll have time to think later.

"I'd be more than happy to join Fairy Tail Mr. Makarov. Where do I sign?" Makarov chuckled.

"We'll sign you up when we get you to Magnolia. Now let's head on home everyone! The sooner we head back, we sooner we get to celebrate!"

"Yaaa! Celebration!" cheered Lisanna.

"What are we celebrating?" asked Coby.

"Idiot! We're celebrating your entrance to the guild that's what," snorted Mirajane. She huffed and crossed her arms as she walked out the door. Coby was nervous, humbled by all the attention.

"Well I mean…you don't need to throw a party for me I…"

"Kid you'd better be a good partier and drinker. Fairy Tail is known all throughout Fiore to have the roudiest celebrations around," said Gildarts as the group walked out.

"I don't drink!" Coby shrieked, appalled. "I'm underage!"

"The drinking age is 15. I have a few shots every now and then," replied Elfman. Coby looked at him, eyes wide.

"What!" he yelled. The Government was fairly loose about drinking, but the age for non-marines was 20, with marines getting to drink at 17 should they decide to join at a young age. They did uphold some laws like disturbing the peace, boating under the influence, and the like. But 15!

"Me too! My favorite is strawberry vodka!" chirped Lisanna, as if there was nothing wrong with that statement.

"You too!" he yelled, his face distorting in horror and disbelief.

Drinking remained the main topic of conversation as they walked into the train station. Gildarts paid for the tickets, with apparent good grace.

"You should see Cana," said Makarov cheekily. "She can chug at least a barrel of beer a day! If she keeps this up, she'll be tipsy at only 13 barrels and still keep going." Coby looked flabbergasted as they headed out onto the platform.

"Just what have I gotten myself into now…" he muttered to himself, following his new friends to the train.

_The next day, Magnolia_.

"We're here!" called Makarov as the group stepped off the train. Lisanna ran off and kissed the ground.

"I'll never run off again as long as I live! I'll never run off again as long as I live! I'll never run off again as long as I live!"

"Get a grip Lisa. We learned our lesson," said Mirajane sourily.

"Don't talk to strangers…" finished Elfman. Makarov chuckled.

"I don't say those things for fun now do I? Well, lesson learned, let's head on back!" said the dwarf as the group made way through Magnolia.

Coby had to admit, the town looked quite nice. It was bright, airy, and somewhat cleaner than he was used to. The streets were long and wide, the buildings of an architectural style he hadn't seen before, yet one he thought gave the place a certain elegance. And the people seemed to live in peace, much more so than in his world.

It was to be expected, in a world of rampant piracy and the odd corrupt official.

And all of a sudden, the town shifted, building moving and falling into place, streets raising and people going into their homes or the nearest building and before them a path was lined with high, sturdy-looking walls. He found himself wondering what on earth could warrant such a precaution.

"Wha…."

"It's just Magnolia in Gildarts-mode. Blame his complete lack of direction. You'll get used to it," smiled Lisanna. Gildarts wasn't amused.

"I'm gonna ignore that…" Coby decided to change topics.

"So how strong is Fairy Tail?"

"Well…in terms of strength we could be on equal footing with Phantom Lord, another populous guild like ours" replied Gildarts proudly. "But Fairy Tail has the tendency to sprout legends from time to time."

"Legends?" Makarov nodded.

"You'll like it with, I guarantee it."

"Yep! After all we can go on jobs together, have fun, do stuff," Lisanna rattled off a list of things to do. Coby smiled.

_'Maybe this wont be so bad after all'_ he thought.

As he neared the building, he saw Fairy Tail's logo and the name in bold displayed on the structure.

"This would be the Guild correct?" asked the marine.

"That's right! Coby-what's your last name?" asked Elfman.

"Well…I don't have a surname" replied Coby, mildly embarrassed. He had no memory of a last name on account of his parents not having one, and getting captured by Alvida didn't help in the slightest.

But now that he was in a new world, he could have a new beginning. A new adventure in a world full of magic.

A magical adventure. The idea appealed to the marine.

"Can I make my own surname?" asked Coby. Makarov and Gildarts laughed.

"Well of course you can Coby! It's your surname after all!" Makarov assured him, beaming. "Now what do you wish to name yourself before we go in and surprise everyone?"

Coby adopted a thoughtful pose. And after a minute of ratting off some names, he chose the right one.

"I got it!" he proclaimed happily. "My last name will be Marineford. Coby Marineford." Gildarts nodded.

"Not a bad name. It fits, you being a Marine and whatnot" said Gildarts.

"Awesome! Then I'll be Lisanna Marineford too!" chirped the young girl as she latched onto Coby's arm, causing the boy jump in shock. Her sister was just as surprised.

"Lisanna what are you talking about?" asked Mirajane, irked by her younger sister's behavior.

"He's my savior, so I'm going to marry him and be his princess!" proclaimed the younger girl.

"Wait what!" yelled the pinkette. Was the marriage age even shorter than the drinking age!

"Now now Lisanna, let go before you cut off the blood to your prince's arm, okay? Natsu might get jealous!" joked Makarov as he reached for the door.

"Okay!" chirped Lisanna as she let go, turned back to the older boy and fluttered her eyebrows. Coby blushed in embarrassment, and in some part because Lisanna did look rather adorable, though not before getting his feet slammed by Mirajane.

"Get those thoughts out of your head perv!" yelled the goth as Coby started to hop on one feet, grabbing his pained foot.

"Mira! That's my prince you're hurting!" whined Lisanna.

"You'll do no such things with him Lisanna! Not on my watch!" ordered Mirajane.

"What things?"

"Uh sis I think you're…"

"Shut up Elfman."

"Mirajane!" yelled a voice from within the guild.

"Dodge" said Gildarts as the two men grabbed the siblings and moved away from the door, leaving Coby alone.

"Huh?" Was all he could say before the door burst open, slamming into the young marine. He landed in a cloud of dust, with a very heavy wooden door on top of him. He groaned in pain as he pushed the door off.

"Are you okay my prince?" asked Lisanna as she ran over to help Coby up. Despite the odd circumstance, he accepted the help.

"I'll live," he groaned. Mirajane glared towards the door and stomped towards the person standing in the way.

The person was a young redheaded girl wearing a polished iron breastplate and a white skirt, a sword hanging from her belt. The two girls butted heads, glaring into each other's eyes. Coby could have sworn he saw lightning crackling between them.

"I thought I heard you coming Erza!" sneered Mirajane.

"I heard you miles away Emo-kid!" snapped back the girl named Erza.

"Now now you two, kiss and make up," said Gildarts as he hoisted up Erza and Mirajane by the scruff of their shirts. But the two squirmed and yelled.

"Let me go geezer!"

"Unhand me so I can teach this harpy a lesson!"

"Who you calling a harpy firecrotch!"

"What are you gonna do about it old hag!" While this was transpiring the group, with Gildarts holding the bickering girls like a couple of cats, walked inside.

Inside the Guild building was a large hall, in which people of all shapes and sizes and outfits sat at a series of long tables. The rumble of conversation faded as attention shifted to the busted door and the newcomers. Gildarts lowered the girls to the floor.

"Erza, you went and destroyed another doorway. Doors don't grow on trees you know" Makarov reproved mildly.

"Sorry Master it's just that…"

"Being a suck-up I see huh?"

"Screw you demon-freak!"

"Manners you two" said Gildarts. Coby walked on inside as the redhead Erza noticed him and walked over.

"Oh, you must be a new recruit to the guild. Pleased to meet you, my name is Erza Scarlet," she held out her hand, which Coby shook.

"Coby Marineford. Likewise" said the marine.

Then all of a sudden, a roar could be heard. A childish roar.

"Gildarts! Fight me!" Another pinkette, like Coby but younger, dressed in red and wearing a scarf, came boiling forward.

_'Are those fangs?'_ thought Coby.

The other pinkette jumped to tackle Gildarts, who stepped aside with effortless grace. The young boy flew through empty air to crash into table.

"One of these days Gildarts. One of these days" groaned the young boy from the heap of splintered wood. Makarov chuckled as he walked over to a desk.

"Natsu! Up to no good again I see!" roared another voice. Next to come forward was another boy, this one with black hair, naked but for his underpants.

Any trace of pain left Natsu as he headbutted Gray. Gray did likewise, and they were glaring and rambling off insults at each other much like Mirajane and Erza only a moment or so ago.

"Hey Gray, flashing around like a porn-star as usually I see!" goaded Natsu. Gray realized this as he looked down and yelled.

"Not again!" he yelled, making Natsu laugh.

"Wanna fight Matchstick!" They butted heads again.

"Bring it Popsicle!"

"Enough you two. I will not see anymore of this violence between friends!" yelled Erza as she stepped in between them. Both cowered, their rage replaced with fear. Then they both bundled up shoulder to shoulder, shaking hands.

"You got it Erza! We'll be busom pals, won't we Natsu?" said Gray.

"Aye-sir!" followed Natsu.

"Wasn't she acting like those two before Gildarts scolded her?" asked Coby to Lisanna.

"Mira and Erza always go at it whenever they can," Lisanna replied casually. "The same can be said for Natsu and Gray too." She waved at the pair to get their attention.

"Hey you guys! We got a new friend and member of the Guild! This is my new husband Coby Marineford!"

"I'm not your husband, nor am I your prince!" yelled Coby. Natsu immediately picked this up.

"You're Lisanna's lover! Challenge me newbie!" he roared. He charged once again and leapt, his fists wreathed in flames.

Only to crash into yet another table, as Coby stepped to the side. Natsu recovered, leaping to his feet and spinning to face him.

"Now I see why Lisanna has chosen you!" the boy proclaimed, an aura of vigour and violence all about him. "From this day we are rivals Coby Marineford, or my name isn't Natsu Dragneel!"

"She isn't my lover! I just saved her from a bunch of wackjobs nothing more!" yelled Coby, desperate not to be labelled a pervert.

"What were these wierdos like?" asked Gray.

"You're still naked by the way" pointed out Lisanna. The black-haired boy looked down and saw she was right.

"Damnit not again!"

"Serves you right flasher!" chuckled Natsu.

"What'd you say kindling!" growled Gray.

"You heard me!"

_'He forgot about me instantly…_' thought the marine.

"Desist you two!" snapped Erza, moving to intervene again.

"What's wrong Erza? Let the two go at it, or are you too scared to see any fighting?" goaded Mirajane.

"Are you calling me a coward!" seethed Erza, head-butting Mirajane again.

"Alright kids settle down." Makarov's voice quelled the disorder as he strode over. He was carrying what looked like a stamp.

"Now Coby, as a new member of Fairy Tail, where would you like your insignia and what color?" asked the dwarf. Coby thought for a moment, glancing around at the other guild members, who bore such stamps of their own.

"Left hand and blue please." He held out his hand, felt the stamp pressing down.

And like that, the insignia of Fairy Tail was emblazoned in blue on his left hand.

"Alright everyone!" yelled Makarov in a voice that echoed through the hall. "Let us welcome our newest member into Fairy Tail! Coby Marineford!"

A deafening roar filled the hall as the entire guild gave their approbation. And then they were celebrating, with an alacrity that left Coby more than a little bewildered. He saw a blue cat flying around, followed by Natsu and Lisanna following. Mirajane and Erza were challenging each other and a young girl named Cana to a drinking contest.

As Coby made his way to the bar, struggling through the jubilant chaos, he noticed a young man with blond hair, about two years older than himself, sitting there alone. For some reason he didn't seem as happy as his fellow guildmates. He just sat there, staring down at his drink. A set of earphones covered his ears, and he wore a long-sleeved yellow shirt and green pants. As Coby drew closer, he noticed a scar like a lightning bolt running over his right eye.

"Not much of a party animal, huh?" asked Coby as he took a seat beside the blond.

"Not really" the blond replied, glancing at the newcomer. "It's just that something came up."

"I see. Well if it's private I won't inquire any further. You should have some fun though, like the rest of these guys and Master Makarov." The blonde twitched at the dwarf's name.

"Well…" the blonde couldn't come up with the right words. The marine held out his hand, smile on his face.

"The reason for the celebration is me. I'm a new recruit and these guys tend to throw bashes whenever there's a newbie here right? Name's Coby Marineford by the way. What's yours?"

The blond seemed surprised by the offer of friendship. Then his surprise was replaced with a smile as he took Coby's hand.

"Laxus. Laxus Dreyar." Coby smiled.

"Laxus. Nice name. If you're here, what magic do you specialize in?" asked the marine.

"I'm a lightning mage" replied Laxus. Coby looked intrigued.

"Lightning? As in like the thunderbolts from the sky itself?"

"Yes"

"That sounds like an awesome magic! You must be pretty strong then." The blonde rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, embarrassed by his praise.

"Well…I'm still learning." Coby nodded.

"I am too, my magic is more…" Coby struggled for the right words. "Combat and body performance enhancement."

"I see. Maybe we should go on a job one of these days."

"I'll be happy to have my first job with ya! Consider it a promise Laxus!" beamed the pinkette. The marine felt his arm being tugged as he was lifted from his chair.

"We're having a party for you and your sulking like this! Well come on you moron!" said Mirajane. She tugged Coby's arm, pulling him towards the rampant festivity, only to halt when someone grabbed Coby's other arm.

"If he wants to hang out with Laxus then he can Mirajane! Stop bullying him!" yelled Erza as she tugged his other arm.

"Oh, trying to take him for yourself huh?" snapped Mirajane as she tugged harder.

"Look who's talking! You're all _tsundere_ towards him the entire damn time!" yelled Ezra. "And separating your sister from him, you want him all to yourself, do ya hag!"

Mirajane blushed. Coby noticed, but he couldn't tell if she was tipsy or embarrassed.

'_If you get past the crappy attitude, she does look cute…_' thought the marine. The two girls yanked his arms, like two children fighting over a teddy bear.

"I'm taking him to make sure he has fun!"

"He's have fun at his own leisure! You want him to carry you like a princess do ya!"

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

"Not!"

"To!"

"Not!"

"To!"

"Help anyone?" Coby whimpered, feeling as though his arms were being torn from their sockets.

"No fair, you're fighting over my husband!" Lisanna chirped as she grabbed his legs and pulled. "I'm taking him to my room to see if he likes my dress. Mira let go!"

"You'll do no such things Lisanna understand!"

"Because you want to ravish your 'savior' yourself?"

"Go die sword-freak!"

Laxus watched from the safety of the bar, chuckling at Coby's predicament.

"Not funny man!" Coby snapped. Laxus still snickered.

"I'm sorry, but this like a train wreck. I need to see this," he choked before laughing some more.

'_What in the world did I get myself into…_' thought the marine as the girls quarrelled and tugged at him like a giant toy. On the other side of the hall Natsu and Gray picked up their battle, while Cana beat out two middle aged men in shots. Laxus kept on watching, with mild amusement and what might have been genuine happiness.

'_On second thought, make this a magical _mis_adventure._'

**Well theres chapter 3 for ya. Setting up for Coby's time in FT and to what missions he will have ahead.**

**And to the girls out there, there will be no yaoi between Laxus and Coby. It's just friendship. Think of them as bros as Coby didn't identify Laxus as Makarov's grandson. This will be important for the years ahead and eventually the Thunder Palace arc.**

**I got the pairing, how Coby progresses, and who else maybe coming from the One Piece world down, but I ain't telling. It's all up to your imagination.**

**Huge thanks to Artful Lounger for the time edit that he spotted out.**

**Edited by Juubi-K.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

Coby stirred, slowly opening his eyes.

"What the…" he muttered, until he took in the surroundings. Everyone around him was asleep, lying where they had toppled after the festivities of the night before. He could see Gildarts leaning over a rail, snoring. Natsu and what appeared to be a blue cat slept leaning against one another. Gray was sprawled out on a table in his underwear. Erza, Makarov, and Laxus were nowhere to be seen.

'_I'm never gonna get peer pressured to joining in on that drinking game with Cana…ever again_' he thought, as he remembered blacking out at five shots, while Cana was barely even fazed.

His head ached, and he tried to reach up a hand to massage it, only to find he couldn't move it. Wondering why, he turned his head to the side.

Hanging on to his arm as a child would with a stuffed toy was Lisanna, a look of contentment on her face as she snuggled closer to the 14-year-old marine. Coby felt his stomach go cold, and his face heat up. He tried to move his other arm, to use it to pry the young girl loose, but found that it too was trapped.

'_Don't tell me…_' he thought, turning his head to see Mirajane, cuddling his left arm just like her sister. Unlike Lisanna, she was scowling in her sleep. Coby felt himself sweating, soaking his bandanna.

'_If she wakes up…I'm a dead man…but she does look cute…_' he thought as he tried to slowly pry his arms off. He started with Lisanna, thinking he had a better chance, only for the younger girl to grab it again in her sleep.

"Come back…to bed…my prince" she muttered, obviously in a dream.

'_She's still going on about that?_' His attention turned to Mirajane, who was stirring. Coby feared the worst.

"No…he's mine…back off…Erza…" she muttered as dreamed, cuddling him closer. Coby started to blush.

'_She likes me too?_' he thought. But either way, he needed to escape, find Makarov, and ask for his dorm room. The Marine shuffled his left arm, knowing that Lisanna would only grab his right.

Success, his left arm was free, but Mirajane's scowl deepened in her slumber. Coby gave a sigh of relief and, with his free arm, attempted to pry Lisanna off his right. Suddenly…

"Good Morning Coby…wha?"

Coby's head snapped around. Standing there was Elfman, gawking at the marine and his two sisters.

"It's not what it looks like! Honest!" Coby shrieked, panic driving his voice up several octaves.

"Like what?" Coby's face paled, and he turned towards the now awake Lisanna.

"Good morning my prince" she cooed, gazing at him in adoration. Coby shivered in terror, and felt fingernails dig into his arm.

Mirajane was awake.

She looked at him, and Lisanna, then at her leg, which was draped over him. Her face erupted into a glare with the fury of a thousand suns.

"Morning," Coby said sheepishly, sweating bullets and fearing the worst.

'_May whatever God have mercy upon his soul' _thought Elfman as Mirajane slowly stood up, looming over a terrified Coby, a shadow doning over her face as her eyes scorched upon him. He shuffled away, trying to escape from the enraged goth, only for her to block his path wherever he scooted.

"Oh crap he's gonna get it" whispered a now awake Natsu to Gray, both hiding behind a table.

"I don't pity him. I'd rather take multiple rounds against Erza than be in his position" whispered back the frost adept.

"Aye" responded both Natsu and the cat.

"Look, I didn't do anything last night! I swear! It's not what it looks like! I mean I wouldn't do what you think I would do even though you are cute and pretty and…!"

'_Oh god what did I just say!_' The silver-haired goth growled, clenching her fists. Coby knew, insofar as his fear-addled brain could think, that he was out of options.

"I'll do anything you want!" he pleaded, kowtowing desperately before her. "Anything! Please don't kill me!" Mirajane knelt down, bringing her face to his level. Coby tried to back away, only to back into the bar counter. He covered his face with his arms, preparing for his fate.

He would rather fight Blackbeard or the famous Admiral Akainu than face the inevitable wrath of Mirajane.

But suddenly she cupped his cheeks with both hands, staring into his eyes, almost as if studying him.

'_Why is she doing this?_' Coby wondered, perplexed. Before him was a girl who could have made even Garp feel uncomfortable, in the perfect position to unleash absolute and unforgettable pain upon him…and she was cupping his face.

That changed the moment her face contorted into a smirk.

"Anything?" she sneered. Coby merely nodded. A predatory look came upon the preteen's face.

"Pucker up" she seethed, gripping Coby's head harder. The marine feared that she would smash his head to the floor.

Instead, the goth shoved her lips onto his own. Coby's eyes bulged, almost popping out of their sockets. All awake males watched with jaws hanging loose.

"What the!" yelled the young boys and the cat in tandem, while Lisanna's mouth hung open in shock.

They were kissing. And Coby could feel something _squirming_ into his mouth.

'_Is that her tongue!_' thought the marine as the goth broke the kiss and whispered into his ear.

"Listen up good cuz I won't repeat myself. The S-class trials will be coming up in the next two months. And _you_ are going to be _my_ partner for trial. I've seen what you could do, and you are going to help me become a S-class mage. _Got it?_" Coby took this in and nodded, thoughts conflicting inside his head.

"And if I don't?" he meekly whispered back. Mirajane smirked.

"You would have the honor of being the first ever _eunuch_ of our guild" she sneered. Coby nodded, much faster.

"And also, you are not to fondle or do anything of a romantic sort with Lisanna, even if she advances onto you. Are we clear?"

More nodding.

"Also. If you ever want a girlfriend…" that smirk came back, equivalent to a crocodile's smile.

"You know where to find me" she whispered hotly into his ear before patting his head and standing up, looking down on him, like a wolf to a rabbit.

_'He's so helpless…I'm gonna enjoy him_' thought the goth as she turned and walked away towards the awake boys.

"Umm…Mira?" Elfman asked meekly. Mirajane ignored him, brushing her hand through her hair as she walked to the door, Elfman and Lisanna behind her. The young girl looked towards Coby and huffed, earning a victorious smirk from Mirajane.

Coby sat where he was, still in shock. He didn't know whether to dance on air or to dance on tacs. The cute girl whom he saved, a cute, rude, temperamental, forceful, dominating, gothic girl, had given him his first kiss. And all it cost him was a demand, a threat, and a few minutes of mortal terror.

The cat poked him several times. "Natsu, I think he's dead."

"Anyone would be. I mean Mirajane sent him into shock right?" commented Natsu as he walked over. Coby regained his bearings and stood up, shocking the other pinkette and cat.

"What?" He turned towards them in confusion.

"How are you even breathing let alone standing after confronting an enraged Mirajane like that?" asked Natsu. Coby looked to the side and blushed a little.

"We just made some sort of agreement. Nothing much. Do you know where my dorm is by the way?"

"I think maybe Master knows. You can ask him when he wakes up" said Gray as he walked on over.

"Thanks. Care to help clean up?" asked the marine. The younger boys turned away from each other.

"As if! I'll never work with this guy!" they said in absolute tandem. An idea formed in Coby's head as he witnessed their rivalry.

"Well…it's a shame. I'll never get to see who can clean up the _fastest_ and most _efficient_ then." The younger boys heads snapped toward the marine.

"I can clean better than this walking matchstick here!"

"My room cleaner than yours streaker!"

"Wanna prove it!"

"Bring it! I can clean up faster than you ever could!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

And the boys immediately ran to start cleaning. Coby chuckled as he watched them, working with a fervor to outdo the other, Gray cleaning and rearranging tables while Natsu sweeped. They glanced at each other, glared, then worked faster.

'_I think I found myself a new hobby'_ thought the marine as he started picking up mugs and cups and started to clean.

A couple hours later the guild was cleaned.

"I did better Gray" panted Natsu, leaning against a pillar "admit it"

"Screw you Natsu" wheezed Gray, resting on a table panting. "It looks a model house thanks to me"

"You _would_ be a model with your shorts off right, streaker!" Gray looked down, and was down to his boxers, again.

"Damn it all! I'll get you for this!"

"Bring it…after I take a breather."

"For once we come to an agreement."

Coby finished stacking the cups onto the cabinet behind the bar and wiped his brow. He looked out of the window, and noticed the sun already over the mountains in the distance.

"My my. This is the first time I've seen the guild as tidy as this" commented Makarov as he walked in and took a seat near Coby.

"It's actually thanks to Natsu and Gray to be honest. I never seen two people work so hard to outdo one another."

"Well that's a first. I'll keep that in mind whenever I need cleaning done" replied the dwarf, grinning cheekily.

"Say Master. Do you know where my place of residence is? I didn't have a chance to look it up last night."

"Ah yes. Let me see…" Makarov reached in his pocket and drew out a small pamphlet and scrolled over it.

"Ah. Your living in the _Timberwood_ apartments and your studio 28 on the second floor. Due to it being a 3 room studio, rent is about 25,000 jewels a month. You're lucky, it's pretty cheap."

"Thanks Master. I'm gonna go out to breakfast then start my training before I do a job with Laxus today." Makarov looked at him as he mentioned Laxus.

"You're doing a job with Laxus?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Well Laxus is my grandson of course" Coby's eyes rose a bit.

"Really? He didn't mention that last night when we talked." Makarov looked a little downtrodden.

"Is something the matter Master?"

"Well…you see…Laxus is going through a tough time right now."

"Oh. I'm sorry to intrude and…"

"No, I think you should know. After all, I think you maybe forming a good friendship with him. You see, his father got expelled from the guild a while back."

"Laxus is your grandson…so his father is your…"

"Is my son yes."

"But why? What did Laxus' dad do?"

"It's not what he did, it's what he was acting like." Makarov paused, as if choosing his words.

"Ivan, my son, was a danger to the guild. He was showing signs of extreme insanity, so I had to banish him to protect the other guild members."

Coby was shocked. Makarov was willing to exile family in order to protect others? He couldn't help but admire his determination but yet…

"Was Laxus close to Ivan?"

"Perhaps. You see Laxus as a child had quite a weak body. Ivan, whether out of pity or care, I don't know, implanted lacrima into his body in order to make Laxus stronger."

"What's lacrima?"

"Lacrima is a magic crystalline substance found here in Earthland and used by us mages. Lacrima is a versatile substance, and can be used for many useful purposes such as long range communication, showing visual movies, and other things."

"Communication? Movies? It sounds like a Den Den Mushi to me."

"Oh? What's a Den Den Mushi?"

"Here. Let me show you." Coby reached into his pocket and retrieved the two small baby Den Den Mushi. Makarov inspected the snails.

"Impressive…is this your worlds equivalent to lacrima?"

"Close but they're actually living things. Den Den Mushi can be used for communication, visual display, even espionage." Makarov inspected the snail further.

"Impressive…maybe we could create more?" Coby shook his head.

"Like I said, they're living things. I have no idea how they breed."

"They breed!" Makarov looked incredulous.

"Apparently…no idea how though." Coby's face blanched at the thought, as did the dwarf.

"Yes, lets not tread those waters. Now back on topic." His face turned sullen.

"Laxus is fairly withdrawn right now. He used to be jovial and kind. Now he's anti-social and reclusive, and I fear for his future happiness." He paused, and looked Coby straight in the eyes.

"Coby, please help him. Last night was the first time I've seen him smile like that. Please be a friend to him, if you can."

"Of course," Coby insisted, moved by the old man's words. "After breakfast I'll do some training to hone my Rokushiki, then we can go on a job together like we promised." Makarov smiled and patted him on the back.

"Thank you Coby. As Laxus' grandfather you have no idea how relieved I am that he's starting to open up a bit." Coby smiled back. And his thoughts went to the blond, how sullen and downtrodden he looked the night before.

'_Don't worry Laxus, I'll be your friend. Count on it' _he resolved to himself.

Over the next few hours, Coby ate breakfast, talking with Laxus on where he was from over the chatter of the guild. Coby had to change his story, saying that he was born in a rundown village, honing his body enhancement magic before saving the Take Over siblings. Laxus paid close attention as he spun his yarn, and soon the pair finished breakfast.

"So are you ready to take on that job?" asked Laxus.

"I'll do so a bit after noon. I need to do some training." Laxus perked up.

"Training? To harness that Rokushiki magic right?"

"That's right. My magic requires me to train diligently. Care to watch?"

"I got nothing better to do. Besides, since we're going to be partners, I think I might as well know your abilities"

"Fair enough."

The duo left the guild and headed into the forest, walking for a few minutes until Coby finally found a good clearing. He reached into his pocket, withdrew a pamphlet, and began reading. Laxus sat down on a stump nearby.

"There we go" said the pinkette, putting the pamphlet away. He turned towards a clump of trees, readying himself. He jumped and swung his legs, azure blades leaping from them to slice into one of the trees. Laxus' eyes rose slightly, evidently impressed, as the tree toppled to the ground, branches gone, the bare wood as smooth as armour plate.

"I thought your magic was body enhancement?" he asked. Coby looked back towards him.

"It is. I swing my leg so fast that I can create a blade of pressurized air that slices whatever it touches. It's one of the Rokushiki's _spells_, the Rankyaku." Laxus nodded, taking in the knowledge.

"Ah, interesting. I never knew such magic existed." Coby grinned.

"Well this is Earthland after all, there's ton of magic everywhere right?" Laxus shrugged.

"True." Coby walked over to the fallen tree before taking off his shirt and took the trunk in both hands and lifted it up. He laid down on his back, holding the tree above him, and began to bench press with it.

"Are you going to be fine?" asked Laxus, as if he had done such an exercise before.

"I'll be fine. I do this 4 times a week to keep my muscle strength up to ensure that I perform my magic right" breathed Coby as he continued his reps. After about 15 reps, he hoisted the tree high in the air and rolled away as it crashed down. He took a deep breath and a swig of water before getting the tree and repeating the exercise for about 4 more times.

"Sounds like this Rokushiki magic is pretty demanding compared to what other mages use" said Laxus as he watched the tree roll away for a fifth time. Coby stood up, taking a quick breather.

"But it's worth it," he said. "Once we get on our job, you'll get see it in action." Coby then went over to the other fallen tree, which was bigger than the previous one, hoisted it up onto his shoulders, and began squatting. Laxus was starting to worry due to the show of strain on the pinkette's face.

"I think I should at least support you, right?" he asked. The pinkette breathed as he looked towards him.

"If you want. Better safe than sorry I guess." Laxus walked over and stood behind Coby as he continued his exercises. Once again, 15 reps with 5 sets. With another burst of strength, he hoisted the oak up into the air with a yell. Both teens darted out of the way as the oak crashed down.

"Well now my body is conditioned for the day, I can do my speed drills when we get back from our job." Coby wiped sweat from his brow. "Wanna do that job?"

"Sure." The duo walked back to the guild. Once inside, they headed towards the notice board.

"So…what do you wanna do?" asked Laxus. Coby scanned the board, perking up when a particular flyer caught his eye. It had a flower with a set of sharp teeth at it's bud.

"Let's do this one." As he reached his hand for the flyer, another hand snatched it away from his left. He looked left. Low and behold, it was Mirajane and her siblings.

"Hey we found that job first!" Coby was peeved.

"Sorry Coby, but I'm doing this job to prep up for the trials coming up, and you're coming with me" said Mirajane, in a tone implying that defiance would not be tolerated.

"I promised Coby that I could go with him for his first job," Laxus insisted, with exaggerated self-control. "So please hand it over." Mirajane stuck out her tongue.

"Nuh-uh! Coby is coming with us! We were the first people to find him, after all!"

"Well I have seniority. Just choose another job or something."

"Don't wanna" Mirajane huffed. Elfman looked worried.

"Uh Mira, maybe we could choose another job, I mean…"

"Elfman he's going to be my partner for the trials, so _I_ have priorty. Right Coby?" Mirajane turned towards Coby, her gaze distinctly unsettling.

"Well…"

"If you want do the job then why don't you go together" said another voice, forestalling the dispute. Both groups looked to see Makarov sitting on a table nearby.

"I only do jobs with my brother and sister!" huffed Mirajane. "Coby is an exception since we are going to be partners."

"He said he would do his first job with me," sneered Laxus. "So do me a favor and back off Mirajane." Mirajane glared right back at him, in no mood to oblige.

"Wanna try me?" she leered, looking up to the older mage. She would not be as weakened as she was against those cultists…

"Guys, we can do this together," Coby pleaded. "I mean, Mirajane, there'll be a time when you won't go on jobs with your brother and sister one of these days. So why not try something new for once?"

"But I…"

"He has a point, _dearie_," Makarov came to his assistance. "We are all friends and family." Laxus' eyes darted sideways, narrowing in annoyance at the word 'family.'

"So it's best to work together with friends once in a while. And Coby is right, one of these days your siblings will grow up and want to do jobs on their own."

"But…"

"Mira it's fine," Coby pressed, sensing her uncertainty. "It can be you, me, and Laxus doing a job together. Why not try something new?" An idea popped into his head, as he remembered Gray and Natsu that morning.

"You wouldn't want Erza to hear that you chickened out on trying something new right?" the marine said slyly. "Just imagine what she would say." Mirajane's face distorted in anger.

"As if!" she shrieked. "Alright then! Lisanna, you stay away from Natsu while I'm gone! Elfman, continue on your Take Over magic! Coby! Laxus! Lets do this!" Makarov cocked an eyebrow, both surprised and impressed by her passion.

"Kay sis!" giggled Lisanna. She would visit Natsu, despite her sister's orders, but it was funny seeing her act like that.

"Sure thing" muttered Elfman. The two younger siblings headed out.

"Okay then, so what's our job?" asked Coby. Mirajane looked down at the flyer and read aloud.

"_Looking for volunteers to help rid Zakuro Town of the Thorn Sprite Monster. Reward: 100,000 jewels._ Huh, whats a Thorn Sprite?" Makarov walked over.

"Ah a Thron Sprite! I know of such a creature. It has the ability to control wildlife, like tree and plants for instance."

"So it could make trees grow expotentially?" asked Laxus.

"Yes, but that's not all. A Thorn Sprite can also control the plant life as if they were alive, very similar to doll magic. Zakuro Town's grocery store got destroyed by a rampaging pumpkin even!"

"Well, that Thorn Sprite isn't being weeded itself," said Coby. "Let's get some supplies and meet back here in two hours." Blonde and goth nodded and headed to their respective dorms.

'_I may just get used to this' _he thought.

Coby walked back into the guild hall with his pack. Thankfully, Gildarts had left him some spare Jewels and other essentials before heading out on another job. He took seat by a table and waited for Laxus and Mirajane.

Drinking from a mug of water, he saw Laxus walk through the door.

"She not here yet?" he asked, sitting down by the marine. Coby shook his head. Laxus nodded, and left it at that.

Half an hour later, Mirajane showed up.

"Alright then I'm set! Let's get this over with!" she exclaimed. In no mood to argue, the boys followed her out onto the streets of Magnolia.

"So how long do you think this will last? This job?" asked Coby.

"Probably a day or so," answered Laxus. "100,000 jewels can only cover a months rent at most apartments here in town. Hence why that job is on the first floor."

"Yeah I noticed a second floor. What's up with that?"

"The 2nd floor is for S-class mages or mages who gain permission from Master. They get the really hard and dangerous jobs." Coby nodded in understanding.

"So who are the S-class mages here in the guild?" Mirajane overheard, and turned towards the marine.

"You know Gildarts? He's one. Some guy named Mystogan is one as well."

"Who's Mystogan?"

"Another S-class mage," Laxus interjected. "He keeps casting sleeping magic on the entire guild to pick up jobs. It works on everyone but grandpa. No one knows what he's capable of, but rumour is he's quite powerful." Mirajane scoffed.

"If I ever face him in the trials, he'll just try and put me to sleep, because he's afraid of my power!" proclaimed the goth arrogantly.

"Maybe he does it because he likes you all. I mean, he wouldn't want to hurt you would he?"

"If he liked us he'd stop being reclusive and quit the sleeping magic act and open up! The guy has something to hide, I know it!" Laxus nodded in agreement.

"You can say that again".

"Well enough of the Mystogan talking," Coby said, wanting to change the subject. "I'm sure he has a reason for being so reclusive. Who knows? We may find out during the trials Mira." Laxus looked askance at him.

"You're taking part in the trials?"

"Uh, yeah." The marine glanced nervously at Mirajane. "I'm being her partner for the trial. We…made a deal."

"Well I guess I may be challenging you and Mira then." Coby did a double-take.

"Are you competing too?" Mirajane looked at Coby in annoyance.

"No. He's an S-class mage." Coby's eyes went up.

"You're an S-class mage Laxus! That's cool!" Laxus looked off to the side.

"Well, I'm the newest S-class mage in the guild. I just became an S-Class mage 10 months ago. Mystogan was new S-Class the year before I became one and Gildarts has been S-class for a good 15 to 18 years."

"Wow…Gildarts must be incredibly strong! Heck he may even become a Master, right?" asked Coby.

"He could start a brand new guild if he wanted!" snapped Mirajane. "He's just a lazy bum and doesn't want the Master's duties!"

Coby took this in. Becoming an S-Class mage had to be tough…and Laxus was one too!

"How come you didn't tell me you were an S-Class?"

"I thought it didn't concern you, but since you 're going to be taking part in the trials and…say…how did you get to become Mirajane's partner anyway?" Laxus gave Coby a suspicious glance.

"I made a deal with her" replied Coby, feeling rather nervous. He could feel Mirajane's eyes boring into him, and he could guess the look on her face.

"_Mention this morning. One detail about this morning and you die._

Coby gulped, and Laxus noticed.

"Did she force you?"

"I made a deal with him to be my boyfriend. Now bug off" snarled Mirajane. She moved to walk in tandem with Coby, grabbing his hand.

"What?" both boys bleated. Mirajane turned her glare on Coby.

"Remember? You'll be my partner and my boyfriend till then. _Right?_" That look was on her face again. It was more than Coby could deal with.

"Uh..yeah! Me and her are a couple until the trials over! That way we can learn and understand the basics of a teenage relationship! That's it! An educational experience!" Coby laughed nervously. Laxus looked at him as though he were wearing underpants on his head.

"Okay then, fair enough."

Coby chuckled nervously until Mirajane brought his ear down to her face.

"Look. I didn't do that because I…well…because I _like _you or anything," she hissed. "I did it so he can stop asking questions. So don't get any ideas! Got that?"

Coby turned his eyes, and true enough Mirajane was red in the face, eyes darting to the side. He could tell it was embarrassment, but he didn't know what kind. He nodded dumbly.

"Good. Glad to know we're on the same page." Mirajane walked on forward with Laxus.

Coby sighed. Having a pseudo girlfriend _and_ a new friend with attachment issues was going to be tough.

Back at the guild, Makarov sat on the table drinking from a mug with Cana by his side as the children played. Natsu and Happy were taunting Gray, saying that they could fly. Erza was telling the pinkette to stop fooling around. Elfman was nowhere to be seen, obviously training his Take Over in accordance with his sister's orders. Lisanna was giggling at the spectacle of the other children.

He saw Macao walk over and sat down.

"Hey Master, I noticed Laxus is gone. Doing a job?" he asked. Makarov nodded.

"Yes. He's out on a job with Mirajane and Coby" Macao's eyes went up.

"Mirajane? As in 'Take Over Mirajane'? That one?" Makarov was confused by his reaction. Macao seemed terrified.

"What's wrong Macao?"

"Didn't you know Master?" Lisanna said, toddling over. "Mira completed her Take Over training. That's why she couldn't defend me and Elfman when we got captured. She was too tired after learning to harness her Take Over!"

Main connection to brain failed…attempting to reconnect main line…failed

Attempting to connect secondary mental pathways…failed.

Reboot system in process. System shutdown.

"Lisanna…what was the creature in which Mirajane completed Take Over again? I forgot…" Makarov was pale with fear.

'_Please don't tell me that she…_' he thought before Lisanna spelled it for him.

"Gildarts captured a She-Devil and Mirajane finished taming it! You shoulda seen it! Mirajane was so strong and she…" The little girl nattered on as Makarov's mouth hung open.

Mirajane, the most frightening girl in Fairy Tail, had accomplished the Take Over of a She-Devil.

And with the descriptions given to him of Coby by Lisanna and Elfman, Mirajane's completion of Take Over: Satan Soul, and his own grandson's incredible skill in Lightning magic, they had the potential to be the strongest team in Fairy Tail this year.

Thus was the root of his terror. Visions flooded his mind, of paperwork, of bills for damages, of letters of apology, like water from a broken floodgate.

"Master? Are you okay?" asked Cana as Makarov stood like a statue, paralyzed.

'_What am I gonna do_…' he thought sadly.

**Heres chapter 4 for ya, not much action this chapter other than Coby flexing his muscles. Sorry for long update though. School and Holidays and whatnot.**

**Also, I left a challenge on my profile if anyone wants to take it up. It's to breathe life into the FTxOP archive(English life that it is…)**

**Next chapter will have some action though.**

**Also, to any female readers, the relationship between Laxus and Coby is that of developing friendship. They will act like brothers when they mature and get older. The consequences this may have…well I am not spoilering.**

**And the pairing will remain up in the air. I still have not decided, and I have considered and thought of all the females of Fairy Tail(Mira, Erza, Lucy, even Cana) so don't bother me bout that.**

**Also, if you are a fan of Gurren Lagann or Pokemon, feel free to check my other fics as well.**

**Big thanks to my inspiration and confidant Artful Lounger.**

**Edited by Juubi-K.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

**Note: I made a few edits last chapter, mainly the job.**

"All aboard!" yelled the conductor as the train began its final preparations to set off. Within one of the cars, a trio sat waiting.

"So how far is Zakuro Town?" asked Coby as he sat by the window, the train slowly beginning to move.

"About a day or so," replied Laxus, he sat across from the marine.

"I see. Any idea on how we should kill this Thorn Sprite?"

"Well it's a plant monster right? Do the math," answered Mirajane accusingly, taking a seat next to the marine. Coby went into a thinking pose as the train left the Magnolia Station.

"We deprive it of water and sunshine?" Mirajane sighed.

"We burn it or chop it you idiot," sneered the goth. "Ever heard of a thing called forest fires or lumberjacks? Common sense, learn it." Coby looked a bit timid before her after her remark.

"Well…where I come from there's some plants that are resistant to fire, so I…"

"We have some plants like that too. Lay off on him Mirajane," sneered Laxus, coming to his friend's defense. Mirajane stared at the blonde with a superior air.

"He's my man, so I'll do as I please," she retorted as she leaned her head on Coby's shoulder, causing the pinkette to heat up. "Don't move. I'm going to sleep. Got that?" she ordered, the tone of her voice brooking no defiance.

"But what if I need to use the bathro…"

"Do. Not. Move." She emphasized every word and had her right index and middle finger move like in a scissor motion, clipping down on every word. The word _Eunuch_ came to the marine's mind as he remained silent and nodded. Mirajane sighed contently and inched closer.

"Good," she said, but in a much softer tone, and before long she began to doze off. As Coby gazed at the countryside, he glanced at the sleeping Mirajane and saw her face. It was peaceful and serene, in sharp contrast to her awakening earlier that morning. On second thought, it had to be the most peaceful moment Coby had ever had with Mirajane since he had entered Earthland.

"I don't get it," said Laxus, gaining Coby's attention.

"Get what?" he asked.

"How in the world did Mirajane ask you to be her partner, both for the trials and for a relationship?" Coby paused, thinking back to what occurred that morning.

"Well…when I rescued her she may have taken interest in my magic, and wanted me to be her partner" replied Coby.

"Well what about you being her boyfriend? What's with that?"

"Maybe…she's into the 'Knight-saving-princess' type? I mean I did save her and her siblings." Laxus shrugged.

"I suppose that is true. But considering her…personality…it seems a bit odd."

"I guess so…maybe like some girls are into bad boys, some are into good boys?"

"It's a possibility I guess." Laxus smiled. "Women. You can never understand them. Even over 700 years since the discovery of magic, one thing we men have in common is that the most bizarre and alien creature to us is not dragons or fairies, but women."

Coby chuckled. "You can say that again".

And a thought came to the marine's mind as he looked out the window. Still, despite being welcomed and accepted into a guild full of people that are friendly and kind, Coby just could not believe that he was in an entirely new world. No pirates, no World Government, no Marines, no Grand Line, his parents were gone, Helmeppo was gone, Garp was gone, Luffy was gone. His dream of becoming an Admiral and capturing villainous pirates and evildoers was gone.

A frown came upon his face. Had the marine had not saved Mirajane by those cultists, he could have been out in the wilderness still, lost and hungry. He had no Jewels on him, so even if he found civilization, he would have become homeless. He would have resorted to stealing, to crime in order to survive. He may even have had to join a Dark Guild due to his skills if he had continued down the path of crime. The thought frightened Coby.

And his parents, he may be classified as MIA due to no body, or maybe KIA should the marines who find the ship in which Blackbeard stole and assume that he fell into the Calm Belt, to be a snack for the hundreds of Sea Kings below. At least if he was classified as KIA, he would have been honorably promoted to Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer and while his parents may have wept at his death, he knew that they would have been proud because they knew their son died doing what he wanted to do. But if was MIA…they would have been forever tormented with the question:

Is my son alive or dead?

His face contorted with longing. If only he could find a way to communicate to his parents, to yell at the top of his lungs "_I'm here!_"

But he could not. Not when he was in a world as foreign as Earthland. That was what he was: a stranger in a strange land. What would he do with his life? What would be his purpose? His dream?

But as he looked at the sleeping Mirajane, to the brooding Laxus, and thought of the joyous members back at the guild, the kind and wise Makarov, he formed his new dream, his new purpose.

Coby Marineford, former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Marines, a current member of Fairy Tail, now knew what he needed to aspire to be in life. He would long for his parents, his friends and teachers back in his old world, but he had to adapt to this one. His new dream was become the best mage in Fairy Tail that he could be, to capture villainous Dark Guilds and bring them to justice, to become a role model for others to look up to and aspire to be, to protect his new friends.

That was Coby's purpose. And he would do whatever it took to fulfil that dream, or die trying.

A yawn escaped his mouth as he decided to lean his head on the shorter goth girl beside him and let sleep take him. He saw Laxus smile a bit before going back to reading a _Weekly Sorcerer_ magazine.

'_Yes…I will long for my parents, my friends, and others, but for now, they would have wanted me to be happy, to forge on ahead with my own two feet. I'll take on whatever obstacle that comes in my way. I'll bring any Dark Guild member who has committed wrong doings to justice, and most importantly of all… my new purpose..._' he opened his eyes a little to feel Mirajane snuggle closer to him, stirring peacefully in her slumber. He saw Laxus taking a nap as well, with the _Weekly Sorcerer_ magazine over his eyes.

'…_is to be with my friends. That is my purpose. I'm sure you of all people would understand'_.

Coby looked out the window and into the setting sun behind the mountains. The clouds above the sun seemed to take the shape of a straw hat for whatever reason...

'_Right Luffy_?'

And sleep took him as the train continued into the night towards Zakuro Town.

* * *

Coby felt someone shaking him.

"Hey, wake up we're here," said Mirajane as Coby yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" he yawned.

"Morning. We reached Zakuro," replied Laxus, rubbing his right eye.

"Okay, do we need to see the Mayor or something today?"

"Yes. He was the one who requested the Thorn Sprite to be taken care of, or whatever it is causing trouble here in Zakuro," answered Mirajane as they got their bags from the overhead and walked down the aisle and onto the station platform. Unlike Magnolia which had the ocean and mountains as it's surrounding natural barriers, Zakuro had orchards and fields of crops. But otherwise, the town looked roughly identical to Magnolia.

"So where is city hall at?" asked Mirajane. Coby took out the flyer and looked at the address on the bottom.

"_100 Petal Avenue_. I guess we will have to look for a town hall there" said the marine. His two friends nodded and continued their trek. Coby decided to take the time to read his Rokushiki pamphlet to pass the time, in hopes of learning more of his least familiar Rokushiki technique outside of his current arsenal of the _Shigan, Rankyaku, _and _Soru:_ the _Geppou_. The pinkette began to read.

"_Geppou: The Moon Step technique. The Geppou allows the users to actually jump off the air itself, allowing them to stay in the air for much longer than usual. This technique is considered the closest similarity to flight without the assistance of a flight dial, an Akuma No Mi, or other sorts of aerial transportation._"

Laxus leaned in to get a look.

"To jump on the air? Talk about an odd magic," now Mirajane was peeking to read. Coby felt put-upon by the two bodies in such close proximity.

"What's a Dial? Akuma No Mi? What is that stuff?" asked the goth.

"Umm guys. Personal space?" inquired Coby. Laxus backed off.

"Sorry 'bout that. Curiosity got the better of me." Mirajane kept her distance a little but still wanted to read judging by the pout she had on her face. But she knew when to respect personal space at least, which comforted the marine. Coby continued reading and his pace quickened.

"_In order to use this technique, one must be able to use their legs to 'kick' the air in order to jump. In order to attain the durability for one's legs to use the basics of the technique, you must…"_

Coby felt himself walk into something. He fell backwards, and heard someone else doing likewise, followed by the clatter of shattering pottery. Coby blinked, paling in embarrassment.

Before him on the ground as a tall, elegant-looking man in his late twenties with long green hair in a white shirt and black trousers, beside him a broken pot with a rose amongst the soil.

"Oh my! I'm sorry about that sir! I wasn't watching where I was going! Here let me help!" said Coby as he ran over to the man's side. Mirajane and Laxus ran over.

"You dunce! At least watch where you're going!" berated Mirajane. Coby's shoulder shrank.

"Sorry…"

"Oh ho. I do appreciate the help," replied the man as he opened his eyes, revealing them to be green as well. He looked down and saw the Fairy Tail insignia on the marine's hand.

"Your rose…it's..." Coby mentioned as he helped the man back to his feet, seeing the destroyed pot and rose in the soil.

"Here. Here's some Jewels for you to buy a new pot sir," said Laxus as he handed the man a few bills, which he accepted.

"Wait Laxus, I broke the pot! Let me pay instead!" Laxus shrugged.

"It's fine Coby. You can pay me back after we finish the job," said the blonde. Coby nodded sadly.

"Alright…Sir I am truly sorry for what happened to your rose," the man brushed some dust off.

"It is fine. I have a large rose garden at my house. I just went out of the way to buy one since I needed some more roses for my garden, so no harm done," said the main sincerely. "That insignia on your hand, you wouldn't happen to be Fairy Tail mages would you?"

"We are," answered Mirajane.

"And you mentioned a job earlier. What would you be doing exactly? It wouldn't happen to involve the Thorn Sprite in town would it? My name is Youbara."

Laxus kept his eye on the man, whose name was Youbara. For some reason, though he seemed good-natured, Laxus felt more than a little suspicious.

"Why yes we are. We were requested by the Mayor in order to eliminate the Thorn Sprite which has been causing trouble here in Zakuro Town," answered Coby, Mirajane nodding in agreement. The man nodded.

"Oh ho, well I wish you good luck on that endeavor," the man bowed and walked away.

"Nice man. Don't you agree Mira?" asked Coby. Mirajane scoffed.

"Too much of a nice guy if you ask me. If I was him, I would have…"

"Let's just get to City Hall and get more details on our job" interrupted Laxus, watching Youbara blend with the crowd. He narrowed his eyes at the retreating man. The trio then walked down the street, now teeming and bustling with people. Their destination: Zakuro City Hall. As Youbara walked away, he let a smirk form on his mouth.

'_It's shame. Nice child, this Coby. I hope you are blessed with good luck on your job.'_

His smirk widened into a malign smile, his eyes showing not sincerity but dark countenance.

"You'll need it" Youbara said silently as he walked down the street, flinging seeds into nearby planters and gutters as he walked.

**Sorry for the short chapter It's one of the shortest I wrote in a while. But much similar to LD 1449's approach, if I type 2-3k word chaps rather than 4-5/6k, faster updates. What do you want? Next chapter I promise we will have lots of action and will be a bit more longer. This is mainly a build up and development chapter, mainly on Coby's part.**

**Also, if you get what Youbara's name in Japanese, internets for you. A thousand more if you can guess which anime/manga character I based him off of. Hint: Dinosaurs.**

**And remember, just because Mirajane is getting a bit cozy with Coby doesn't mean she automatically wins. She may win, or she may not. It will depend on chapter to chapter. I only have fight scenes far ahead planned out, not development and pairings of other characters. The pairing will be decided probably by the time FT canon begins, but still, I don't know who will get the heart of the Marine until it comes around.**

**Much thanks to confidant, inspiration, and the bird in my ear that wants to electrocute me with a cattle prod for the shits and giggles, Artful Lounger.**

**Also, I can assure you that some One Piece characters will be coming over. When, who, and where, I ain't telling.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

Laxus sat down on his bed in thought, hands behind his head. It had been nearly a day since he, Coby, and Mirajane arrived in Zakuro Town. They had arrived at the city hall, where they were briefed by the Mayor and Town authority. The job was to eliminate the Thorn Sprite which had been causing a lot of trouble around town. What was considerably bad was that the Harvest Festival was in only two days, and the Thorn Sprite was specifically attacking farms, grocers, and caravans leading to and out of town. This could threaten the food supply to some outlying towns depending on Zakuro for wheat, fruit, and produce. Knowing of their objective, the trio spread out around town to find any clues as to when the Thorn Sprite strikes. They investigated attack sites, asked witnesses and after a few hours of exploring they had all come up with several clues that all the attack sites had in common.

The Thorn Sprite _really_ hated fruits and vegetables, it attacked only during daytime, and the creature resembled a mutated plant with thorny vines and sharp petals for eating other plants. The time of the attacks were random, ranging from early in the morning all the way to dusk, but never at night. But the creature wasn't on Laxus' mind.

It was the rose aficionado, Youbara, which Laxus was thinking about. The man came across as nice and sincere, but as Mirajane said, _too_ nice and sincere. If he were Youbara, he would have at least lashed out at Coby, especially if an object of his hobby got ruined. But Youbara did not, merely brushing it aside as a minor inconvenience. There was just something about the man Laxus did not like. As much as he detested Makarov for expelling his father, he had to admit that the current Fairy Tail Master was a good teacher. He was even learning the Legendary class magic Fairy Law from him. He remembered a word of advice from the dwarf that was his grandfather:

_Always trust your instincts. They may mean the difference between life and death._

The Lightning mage's face shifted into a scowl as he concluded this upon his thinking.

Youbara was hiding something, and Laxus doubted that the connection between his obsession with roses and the Thorn Sprite, which had the appearance of a rose, was could be a coincidence. But he had no evidence, and so until the Thorn Sprite striked again, which could possibly be the next day, Laxus had no choice but to wait.

Mirajane and Coby had decided to walk around town and see the sights, since they were a "couple". This time Mirajane had stripped the Rokushiki book from Coby's hand and gave it to the blonde to make sure a repeat of earlier that day would not happen again. It sat on the desk next to his bed, appearing very lonely.

Laxus walked towards the window and looked out of his hotel room and saw the townspeople setting up the decorations for the Harvest Festival. According to Makarov, it was Zakuro's equivalent of Fantasia, due to the town's history of distributing crops and produce throughout the region. One could call it the bread and fruit basket of Fiore even. Laxus' face darkened as pictures from memory lane scrolled up in his mind. When he was a frail little boy, stricken with a weak body, riding atop of a giant Makarov through the parade doing his trademark pose of pointing his index finger in the air. But the fact was that he was different from Makarov and Ivan, both blessed with strong bodies. Laxus was cursed with a weaker one, much akin to his long-passed mother. Then his father surgically implanted lacrima inside Laxus to make him stronger. Laxus was infinitely grateful for it.

And it wasn't just any run of the mill lacrima, either. It was Dragon Slayer lacrima. But only Makarov knew that Laxus could use Lightning magic, not Dragon Slayer magic. And it may have been the best thing his father had done for the blonde.

Then Makarov had to expel him, the man who blessed him, Laxus' own father and Makarov's own son. His flesh and blood! Insanity had been Makarov's excuse. Laxus scoffed.

"You're the one that's insane, old man," he snarled as he walked away from the window. He sat down on the bed and quietly drifted to sleep.

* * *

Within the bustling streets of Zakuro, Coby and Mirajane walked together side by side. The taller pinkette looked a bit awkward walking with the rude goth, but considering Mirajane's earlier threats and that peaceful face of hers upon the train ride here, he dealt with it.

"Hey," said Mirajane. Coby turned towards the silver haired girl, who looked annoyed and narrowed her eyes at the pinkette.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Why aren't you holding my hand?" she said. Coby started to sweat.

"Oh. Uhhhh. Is that what we're supposed to do?" he asked sheepishly. The goth sighed.

"Have you ever read romance stories, or observed couples on walks? What rock have you been hiding under?" Coby looked away with a flat look on his face.

"Well, truth be told, I have training my Rokushiki, hunting pirates, and attending duties in the Marines," pointed out the marine. "I didn't have time for that stuff back in my world." Mirajane looked slightly ashamed.

"Oh…so you mean…you've been fighting most of your life?" asked the girl in sadness.

"No no no! I mean is, I pretty much have no…what do you call it?" Coby thought for a second. "Social life and etiquette?" Mirajane nodded.

"I see…then in that case you really are helpless. I'll have to teach you then," affirmed the Take Over mage, back to her rude self. But Coby was touched either way.

"You'll do that? For me?" the silver haired then glared at the marine.

"Well yeah! How else are you going to survive here and get married one day? I'm not going to teach you to be socially savvy because…well…I…" she looked away, a bit of red on her face. Coby looked puzzled. This was _not_ the Mirajane he knew.

"Well what?"

"Because I _like _you or anything. So don't get the wrong idea! Once you help me become an S-class mage, we are cancelling this relationship! After all, you said it yourself before. This is an educational experience beneficial for the both of us, so let's at least learn something from this to use later in the future once we find the person of our heart." Mirajane's face reddened even further. Coby smiled.

"No one has ever done that for me. Thank you, Mira." He was touched. Not even Garp could teach him this. Mirajane's eyes looked away, but the blush never left.

"This is only temporary okay!" She turned to glare at the marine. "And you better stay away from Lisanna! Understand me?" Now the Mirajane Coby knew was back in full force. Coby jumped with fear.

"Yes Ma'am!" he yelled, even giving the marine salute as days of drill training under Garp came back. Mirajane's palm met her face, hard.

"Don't yell! It attracts attention you dolt. Now take me to a restaurant," ordered Mirajane.

"Uhhh…okay…" Coby began looking at the restaurants around the street and found one of his liking. A fishfood place.

"There we go! We can go to that one!" He got hit upside the head.

"You ask _me_ where we want to eat!" snarled Mirajane. "In a relationship, the woman _always_ has the choice to choose where to eat out unless she is either apathetic or starving or indecisive. Understand!"

"Yes Ma'am what would you like to eat ma'am!" barked Coby, only to be hit again on the head.

"I said no yelling idiot!" Coby tensed up with fear and whispered loudly.

"Where would you like to eat" He earned another glare from the silver haired girl.

"And don't whisper either. Girls find that creepy." The pinkette gulped.

"Wh-whe-where would you like to eat Mira?" stuttered Coby in a normal voice. Mirajane crossed her arms and nodded.

"_That's_ better, although you shouldn't stutter. Anyway. I am craving red meat and salad tonight. Medium rare with a side of colsaw. Now, find a restaurant that has those foods. Let's go." The goth grabbed the pinkette's hand and began walking forward, pulling the marine with her.

"Such misfortune…" whimpered Coby as he felt his arm being tugged by Mirajane as they went out to find dinner. Mirajane, on the other hand, was blushing as she felt the rough contours and calluses of his hand and digits.

_"His hands…they are so rough…is this the result of his training? If he is strong physically then wouldn't that mean that…?"_ Her face brightened up more. Coby walked alongside the girl as they walked from restaurant to restaurant.

"You look red. You getting a fever Mira?" asked the marine in concern as he placed his forehead on Mirajane's own to see if her head was hot. This made her stop, and the goth became rooted like a statue. Her face became even more red and her eyes widened, her heart racing faster.

"Oh my, Mira are you okay? Say something!"

_"This…this helpless idiot…he's placing his forehead on mine…he thinks I'm sick…he's…he's…so humble and caring and yet…and yet…his face is so…is so…"_ Her face scrunched up and shoved Coby away.

"You're embarrassing me!" she yelled with her eyes closed and shoved him to the ground near a storm drain, causing him to yelp. Her eyes remained closed until she opened them and gasped.

"Owww~" groaned the marine. Mirajane ran over, face pink.

"Don't do that in public! It embarrasses the hell out of your date unless you've been together for a while! Okay!" she said as she offered her hand. She muttered "helpless idiot" as she helped Coby back to his feet. Coby looked down.

"Sorry…I didn't know…" Now Mirajane felt bad, if her face was of any indication.

_"Great, now I feel bad,"_ groaned the Take Over girl mentally.

"No…I'm the one who should be apologizing…sorry…I didn't mean to shove you so hard…it's just that….let's just find the restaurant already! I'll buy but only just this once! Okay!" huffed Mirajane as she took Coby by the hand and stared up at him. Coby looked puzzled.

"Well? Let's go!"

"Oh right! Sorry…"

"Helpless idiot…" she sighed. But Mirajane's mind added more.

"_But you're a helpless idiot that I can call a friend."_ And the duo walked off to find dinner, without distractions this time.

They did not notice something moving and squirming in the storm drain…

* * *

_The next day_

Within the confines of an apartment, Youbara held up a red seed that was emanating a purple glow. He smirked as he checked the calendar.

"It's time…for this town to pay for what it has done to the land," said the green-haired man to himself. The seeds he had planted throughout town would be taking root today. He knew that the Mayor would eventually call upon a guild to stop the Thorn Sprites that he had been creating. As long as the town was destroyed by the Harvest Festival, his revenge would be complete. He pocketed the seed.

"Not even those half pipe mages could stop me…even if they tried." And he walked out the door and onto the bustling streets.

* * *

Coby sat down at a table in a cafe with Laxus and Mirajane, with a map displaying the town on the table. On the map, there were several circled areas in red.

"These are the attack sites, where the Thorn Sprites have been attacking and retreating," explained Laxus. "As you can see, they attack totally at random and during daylight, so we will need to spread out across town." Coby was eyeing the map carefully until his eyes went up.

"Hey Mira, doesn't that spot look familiar?" He pointed towards a circle, which Mirajane investigated.

"Yeah…that was where we had that _talk_ yesterday before finding dinner," pondered Mirajane. Laxus looked intrigued. Coby decided to explain.

"There was a storm drain near where I was and- "

"That's it!" yelled Laxus, spooking both Mirajane and Coby.

"What's it?" asked Coby.

"Don't scare me like that!" yelled Mirajane.

"I was so stupid! I didn't notice that those areas where the circles happen to have storm drains in them! That's how the Thorn Sprite is attacking! It's moving through the sewers!" concluded the blonde.

"That makes sense now that you put it that way," agreed Coby.

"So how are we going to-" The trio heard the sound of yelling from the townspeople, and some started running away.

"It's the Thorn Sprite!"

"There're more of them!"

"Run for your lives!"

The trio immediately ran out of the café and lo and behold, several plant-like monsters were roving the streets, six of them in total.

They all looked the same. With four petals around their heads, they moved rather slowly courtesy of their roots, which trudged on the ground. They had multiple vines that were riddled with thorns, and inside the flower, in other words the head, sharp teeth could be seen.

"That's a Thorn Sprite!" gawked Coby, as he had never seen living plants such as these.

"Indeed!" agreed Laxus, as his hand glowed yellow with electricity.

"_Inazuma!_" yelled out Laxus and he fired the yellow energy, a bolt of lightning firing from his palm and at the advancing monsters. They continued their advance, despite one having been fried and several sizzling by the aftershock.

"Out of the way!" yelled a female voice that pushed Coby to the side. He saw a figure dart past him and into the fray against the Thorn Sprites. In an instant, two Thorn Sprites fell as they were cut off at the center. Coby's eyes widened when the figure turned around.

It was female, as evident by the blossoming but underdeveloped feminine shape. She wore a scanty red and yellow one-piece outfit with red knee socks, slit up the middle and revealing her navel and possibly her breasts if she was more matured. Her silver hair was spiked upwards and her lower arms were reptilian, possessing claws and scales. Her ears were pointed as well and upon her face a scar traveled down her eye. Her eyes bore much menace.

The She-Devil glared at Coby "Well? What are you standing there gawking for you dolt! Help us kill these things!" Now her voice seemed familiar.

"Mirajane! Is that you!" he gawked. The She-Devil, or Mirajane, growled.

"Of course it's me! Who else did you think I was! I'm a Take Over mage, duh!" snarled the She-Devil.

"Bu-bu-but how in the world did you…become like-" He saw a Thorn Sprite behind Mirajane ready to swing its thorn-riddled vine. He threw out all civil conversation, and focused on the matter at hand. The marine became serious in an instant.

To kill the Thorn Sprites and protect the townspeople, that was what he was there for.

"_Soru!" _he yelled. Coby passed her in a blur and gave the monster a lariat to the neck. Using the leverage, the monster flew and crashed into the building, slumping down never to stir again. Mirajane turned around swiftly in surprise.

_"What speed!"_ thought Mirajane in awe. Coby turned to her, and he seemed different from the gawking clumsy boy from before.

"We need to take care of these things! Let's get in gear!" he said as he ran towards the other Thorn Sprites. Mirajane stood there dumbfounded, before shaking her head and running after him.

"Don't you tell me what to do! I already know!"

"_Inazuma no Ame!" _Laxus fired a ball of lightning into the sky above the remaining Thorn Sprites, and a hail of separate lightning bolts crashed down on the Thorn Sprites, electrocuting the beasts and frying them. However, more of the monsters seemed to be slithering towards them. For whatever reason, they were ignoring the straggling townspeople who cowered before the Thorn Sprites.

"Guys! Something doesn't add up!" yelled Laxus as Coby sliced a Thorn Sprite in half at the stem, or abdomen, with a _Rankyaku. _The marine turned towards the blonde.

"What? We're both busy at the moment!" At that moment, Mirajane fired a black magic ball at one of the monsters, sending it flying and crashing into a building. It did not stir again.

"These things are only concentrating on us, not the townspeople! I think someone is behind all of these things! The job said there would be only one or a few of these!" Laxus' fist crackled with electricity as he rushed at a Thorn Sprite, who swung its thorned vines at the blonde. Laxus dodged nimbly and decked the beast in its mouth, decapitating it. "Not more than twenty!"

"So someone can summon these weeds!" snarled Mirajane as she dodged a swipe from a monster, hopped over it, fired another black magic ball at another incoming Thorn Sprite. She about-faced quickly, slashing the Thorn Sprite behind her with her claws.

"It's a possibility! And I have a hunch on who's behind it!" responded Laxus. Coby _Soru_'ed past three Thorn Sprites and into an alleyway. He then jumped from wall to wall, gaining height, and into the air. Coby arched his legs and swung both of them.

"_Rankyaku: Hakurai!_" Using both of his legs, Coby released a much more powerful _Rankyaku_, this time whiter and longer than a normal _Rankyaku_. The Thorn Sprites were sliced as the Rankyaku variant crashed into the ground and exploded, sending them flying a few meters. Coby felt a little cramp in his legs as his eyes narrowed. The _Hakurai_ was a stronger _Rankyaku_ variant and it did not drain as much energy as the _Jyugan: Yuusha no Gouken_, but he still needed to tread carefully when using techniques like it. Having your body go against you in the middle of battle is never a good thing_. _He landed onto the ground on his knees, and he saw several more Thorn Sprites slithering towards him. To his surprise, there were getting faster. The pinkette scoffed and whipped the sweat from his forehead.

_"Soru!_" He blurred past two of the Thorn Sprites, ending up right behind them. He turned around, and in his momentum, struck out two of his fingers.

"_Shigan: Tsubaki!_"

He lashed his two index fingers into the heads of the Thorn Sprites from behind, bursting through whatever they would call a skull. The beasts slumped. Coby breathed in a few precious pants of oxygen, and heard more shuffling. He turned around, only to see a much larger Thorn Sprite, this time nearly twice his height, raising its thorn-riddled vine to crush him. Coby back flipped, avoiding the appendage as it crashed onto the pavement. Still on his hands, Coby aimed both of his legs at the creature.

"_Rankyaku: Futatsuken!" _Two azure blades lashed out as he back flipped, slicing the vines of the flower monster. Its petaled head lashed out, ready to strike Coby, who was still in the air and could not dodge.

"_Ikazuchigan!"_

_"Darkness Stream!"_

The Thorn Sprite was blasted by a punch made out of dark magic and an electric bullet, causing it fell over and crashed into a building, never stirring again. Coby landed on his rear and turned towards both Mirajane and Laxus, both aiming their hands towards the fallen giant Thorn Sprite.

"Thanks for the save!" said Coby as he got back up. "How are things on your end?" Mirajane shrugged.

"We got rid of the ones behind you. Quite a few if you ask me." Her voice was a bit deeper than normal. Coby assumed it was a side effect of her Take Over, being a She-Devil and all.

"We got rid of nearly two dozen of those things. Around twenty-seven including that giant one and the ones you killed Coby," pointed out Laxus. "You look tired." Coby had sweat pouring down his forehead, but he grabbed his kerchief from around his neck and wiped his forehead after he removed his bandana and glasses.

"It's fine. I just tried out some new techniques on those things, such as the _Hakurai _and_ Futatsuken,_" explained the marine with a smile on his face. Mirajane had a scowl on her face.

"And why didn't you use it when you saved us from those cultists that one time?" she demanded. Coby rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well...I was still learning those techniques. While on the train ride back to Magnolia I learned the final basics I needed to implement them. I never had the chance to use them in training, so those two variants had their first field test today. I'm proud to say that it paid off." Laxus nodded but had concern in his eyes.

"Well, be careful. Never use magic you don't know how to use on jobs. You'll never know when they could backfire." Coby nodded.

"I understand, but have faith in me," assured the marine. "I'm sure my magic won't backfire. Anyway Laxus, you said you had a hunch on who might be behind these things?" The blonde nodded.

"Yeah. Think about it," explained Laxus. "These monsters happen to take the form of roses, and they were only attacking _us_, not the townspeople or any vegetable or fruit stands as before. Which means that whoever is behind the Thorn Sprites happens to know that we are mages and that we were sent here to eliminate the problem." Coby went into thought until his face contorted into shock.

"It was the mayor who did it!" exclaimed Coby. Laxus brought his palm to his face and Mirajane slapped the pinkette's head.

"Think harder, idiot. Laxus, I know who you're talking about," replied the devil girl as Coby thought harder. Then he remembered his mishap from the day before with the kind rose man...

"You're saying that-"

"Oh ho, it seems you guys have made quite the mess out of my roses, now have you...Fairy Tail mages," said a voice hauntingly. The three mages spun towards its source. Walking down the street towards them, with several giant Thorn Sprites at his side, each as tall as two lampposts, was the rose afficionado from yesterday. Laxus growled.

"I knew it," snarled the blonde. Mirajane also narrowed her eyes at the green haired man.

"What the! Youbara? You're behind all of these attacks!" shouted Coby in shock. Youbara nodded, a small malign grin on his face.

"Yes I am, Coby. Guilty as charged."

"Why? Why are you attacking the townspeople's food?" demanded Mirajane, baring her claws. "Don't you realize that if Zakuro's food distribution is disrupted, it could cause problems throughout Fiore? Explain yourself!" Her voice rose to shout towards the end, the words ringing hollowly in the empty street. Youbara just chuckled.

"You wish to know my reasons? Then let me give you a history lesson. When Zakuro was founded, beautiful wildflowers sprawled across the land, as far as the eye could see. But during the aftermath of the First Mage War with the rival nations of Lacui and Gloria, a famine swept the country of Fiore. Much of the land was converted to wheat fields, and massive gardens for fruits and vegetables covered sects of the country in order to feed its starving people. Zakuro, once a town known for its beautiful flowers, was converted into a farming town." Youbara's fists were clenched, but his face remained sincere despite his countenance. "All of the beautiful flowers were uprooted and dumped elsewhere. In fact, the Magmus Wild Rose was indigenous only to the area on Zakuro, and it became _extinct_. The people killed _living things_ so that they could feed themselves. My goal is to force the inhabitants off of the land and renew it to its former glory!" His arms spread out to emphasize his goal.

"But why not grow flowers elsewhere?" asked Coby in an accusatory tone. "These people are living happily and you blame them for what their ancestors have done!" Youbara chuckled.

"Oh ho. I never expected you to understand, Coby," replied the green-haired man. "The townspeople's ancestors _butchered_ living things to fatten themselves. That is why they cannot be forgiven. And so I created the Thorn Sprites as a way of getting revenge against the townspeople of Zakuro. They slaughtered the flowers to make fields for their food, and so my flowers will destroy the bread and crops that feed them."

Mirajane growled.

"I've had enough of this!" she howled. "No more talk! You're going down, flower boy!" She charged at the green haired man, claws raised and crackling with white magic energy. Youbara merely snapped his fingers and one giant Thorn Sprite intervened with its massive tree trunk of a thorn vine.

"_Evil Spark!"_ Mirajane placed both hands on the vine, electrocuting the massive plant monster. Suddenly, the silver haired girl felt a sting in her arm and saw a rose jabbing into her left shoulder. Youbara held his arm out in her direction and snapped his fingers. He smirked.

_"Explose, ma jolie rose!" _he called, and the rose exploded violently, sending Mirajane flying.

"Mirajane!" yelled Coby in distress as he jumped and caught her. Her shoulder was blackened as a result of the blast, but thanks to her Take Over, her Devil skin negated most of the blast.

"I'm okay...Coby...just a bit dazed," panted Mirajane as she winced in pain. While the explosion hadn't caused any bleeding, the shockwave had caused some damage.

"Oh ho, it seems that her demon skin seemed to take most of the blast," noted Youbara. "Had she had been in human form, her arm would have been on the pavement right now."

Laxus charged the man, hands crackling with lightning magic.

"_Raitora!" _he yelled, and swiped both of his hands, causing a tiger made of electricity to leap towards Youbara. With some movement from his hand, Youbara ordered one of the giant Thorn Sprites to defend him with a thick thorn. He reached into his pocket, grabbing a clump of seeds.

"_Grenade de Graines!"_ he said, throwing the seed ball at Laxus. The blonde growled.

"_Inazuma!"_ Laxus fired a lightning bolt from his hand, colliding with the ball of seeds, which caused a huge explosion. He turned back towards Coby.

"Coby! Help me out here!" yelled Laxus. Coby was busy wrapping some cloth around Mirajane's arm, and while he turned his head at his friend's call, he did not move.

"Just go!" yelled Mirajane. "I can fend for myself! I'm not a S-Class Trial candidate for nothing you know!" Coby looked hesitant.

"But..."

"Just go, you helpless idiot!" snarled the devil girl. "Be useful! Help out Laxus in beating that guy and we can all get this over with!" Coby nodded and sped towards Laxus.

_"Mes racines vont creuser vos tombes!"_ said Youbara. _"Allez! Frénésie des plantes!"_ He slammed both of his hands to the ground. Three massive roots with thorns burst through the pavement and aimed towards Laxus and Coby.

"The hell's he saying?" asked Coby in confusion.

"I don't know! Scatter!" yelled Laxus as the two dodged, Laxus using his lightning magic in his legs to propel him away, Coby using _Soru._

_"Rankyaku!" _Coby sent an azure blade towards Youbara, who commanded the roots from to encircle him and defend him. To the green-haired man's surprise, the air blade damaged the roots.

"Oh ho, this is surprising," said Youbara cheerfully. "I made sure that the roots I planted underneath the city streets had resistance to magic at some point. You must be quite strong then, Coby."

"Save your breath!" barked Coby. "I'm taking you down!" He charged forward, Laxus following close behind. Youbara only smirked and leapt onto one of his giant Thorn Sprites. He touched the monster and it glowed green.

_"Grêle de Graines!"_ The mouth of the Thorn Sprite fired hundreds of seed bullets.

The two Fairy Tail mages scattered again, but the machine gun that was the Thorn Sprite's head followed Coby, the bullets trailing behind him where he once was. He darted towards the roots and Giant Thorn Sprite with a _Soru_.

"O-ho, quite the speed magic you got there. Color me impressed," smiled the green-haired man, who swiped his arm, commanding his roots to attack again. Coby landed, only to have to jump away to avoid an incoming thorn root. He landed on the ground in a heap, when suddenly, he saw himself being crushed by another thorn root from within his mind...

Acting solely on instinct, Coby rolled away, avoiding the second thorn root. He jumped back to his feet and got onto his hands. He didn't know how he saw that coming, but there was no time to think about it.

"_Futatsuken!"_ he called, and fired two azure blades at the third incoming thorn root, which was the one he damaged earlier. They sliced the root, causing it to stagger and fall down. Youbara's eyes went up.

"Why? Those roots are supposed to have a strong magic resistance!" He saw a flash of yellow and jumped off of the giant Thorn Sprite, avoiding an _Inazuma_ from Laxus, which caused the Thorn Sprite's head to explode. Like a tree, the beast fell over with a crash. Youbara landed on the ground, then leapt away to avoid a few dark magic balls from Mirajane, who now returned to the fray.

_"Mille Épines!"_ yelled Youbara, and several smaller thorn roots sprung from the ground and sped towards the Take Over mage. She jumped away to avoid the attack as it crashed into the spot where she previously stood. Youbara breathed in and out, to regain his breath.

"I'd not rest if I were you! Take this! _Raikouhou!"_ And Laxus fired a massive blue lightning blast towards Youbara.

_"Protège moi, mes cheries! Bouclier de Plantes!"_ The two remaining massive thorn roots encompassed Youbara, as the blast engulfed the area where Youbara stood with his roots defending him, causing a massive explosion. Laxus panted. _Raikouhou_ was one of his most powerful magic spells outside of his hidden pseudo-Dragon Slayer magic. He could use it, but he didn't want Makarov or anyone else to know. It would only be used as a last resort. Coby and Mirajane ran towards the blonde S-Class mage.

"Laxus, that was so cool! You eliminated that guy no sweat!" chirped Coby, looking up to the taller man. Laxus smiled tiredly.

"I could fire four more of those, but that spell sapped a lot out of me." His face became serious, though. "Don't drop your guard just yet you two." He stared towards the smoke, and to Coby and Mirajane's shock, the thorn roots, while charred, moved and revealed an unharmed Youbara.

"Oh ho, that would have done me in if not for my roots. My compliments, Laxus Dreyar. As expected from the grandson of Wizard Saint Makarov," Even as Youbara praised Laxus, sweat dropped from his own brow. Maintaining control of his root shield took a lot of magic. Laxus snarled.

"Don't call me his grandson! I am my own person!" barked back the blonde at the green-haired man. Coby looked confused until he remembered what Makarov had told him. Laxus felt rather distant towards Makarov due to Ivan's expulsion. Coby walked forward past Laxus and Mirajane.

"Hey guys, if you two could distract him down, I can end this," said the pinkette, face serious. Mirajane turned towards him.

"With what? He's surrounded by magic resistant plants," pointed out the winded Take Over mage.

"Yeah, but he's getting tired. If you and Laxus could attack from the front, I can use _Soru_ to get behind him and deal the finishing blow. Can you do that?" Laxus and Mirajane nodded, understanding their plan.

"Let's go!" And Coby ran towards Youbara, who snarled.

"I don't think so boy! _Frénésie Planter!"_ And three more massive thick thorn roots sprouted from the ground and aimed towards Coby. He jumped but was sent into the air, with more thorns aiming towards him.

"Coby!" yelled Laxus and Mirajane in worry, as the thorns were getting closer. Coby closed his eyes when he remembered a sentence.

_One can also kick the air to float..._

Coby did not think, he didn't have time. He only _did. _Using his legs, he prepared to kick the air like a springboard as he uttered one word, and hoped that his body would pull through.

"_Geppou!"_ and Coby darted away from the thorns by an inch, as they crashed together in a jumble. Youbara's eyes widened.

"You can fly!" he yelled in shock. Coby, legs still strained, gave a pained smirk as he soared through the air. He was glad that he was able to utilize the _Geppou _now.

"No, I can jump on the air!" yelled the marine and he _Geppou_'ed past Youbara onto a building. Youbara was about to send his roots after the pinkette until he heard two voices roar out.

"_Raikouhou!"_

_"Soul Extinction!"_

And a mix of blue thunder and dark purple magic sped towards him, causing him to send his roots to form a shield from the massive blast. His face strained and his veins pulsed as he raised his hands to prevent the roots from giving way. Then he remembered Coby, who was hanging from a vertical rod upon the building behind him. He was smirking as Youbara's eyes widened.

"_Rankyaku..."_ Coby readied both legs, and prepared for the cramps that would follow...but he reopened his eyes, the fires of determination blazing within.

"_Ran!"_ he yelled, and the marine's legs blurred, sending a massive barrage of smaller but still deadly azure air blades towards Youbara, who yelled in agony as the blades sliced into him and caused his roots to fail due to his concentration being blown. The magic blast broke through and caused a massive explosion. This sent Youbara into the air, eyes aghast, mouth open and body bloody as he landed into a nearby garbage bin, unconscious.

He had lost; the new Fairy Tail's Strongest Team had won. Coby felt a massive amount of pain jolt into his legs as it began cramping up a storm. He let go of the pole and fell to the ground, but was caught in Laxus' arms.

"Thanks for the save..."groaned Coby through the pain. Laxus panted but gave a smile.

"No problem," replied the blonde. Mirajane staggered over, releasing her Take Over and returning to her normal form.

"You're full of surprises aren't ya," joked the silver-haired girl. Coby gave a cheeky grin.

"I guess so-Ow!" he groaned as he applied pressure to his leg.

"Let's get the townspeople back here, and get the Mayor and the authorities for finishing the job," said Laxus, as he and Mirajane carried Coby away. His legs were in severe pain from the techniques he had used, but it felt good.

* * *

_The next day..._

The townspeople had returned from the outskirts after hearing the fighting and had begun to clean up the Thorn Sprite corpses and use them as fertilizer. They had also begun to clean up in fervor in order to repair the street for the Harvest Festival that began the next day. The Rune Knights arrived to arrest the dirty and bloodied Youbara for vandalism, disturbing the peace, illegal use of magic, and other charges. It turned out Youbara was once an official of the Magic Environmental Society, but once he heard of Zakuro, he disappeared. The Mayor was jubilant to see the Thorn Sprite problem taken care of, and decided to give the mages a bonus for helping take care of the rogue mage that was Youbara. But Coby, surprisingly, wanted to decline, asking the Mayor to use the bonus Jewels to help repair the town's damaged street and the few buildings that were damaged during the battle. Laxus, however, claimed that it would have been rude to not accept the bonus, which the Mayor was offering, so Coby gave in. They received a 50,000 Jewel bonus, making the reward for taking care of the Thorn Sprite menace 150,000 Jewels. The three mages were sitting in their hotel room, Coby in bed and with ice packs on his legs. Mirajane had several bandages and Laxus seemed to be mostly unhurt.

"Okay...so a 150,000 Jewels divided by 3 should be 50,000 jewels a person," calculated Laxus. He distributed the bills to himself, Mirajane and Coby. Both of them counted their bills.

"Hey..I'm missing 450 Jewels, Laxus," pointed out Coby.

"That's the money you owe me for breaking Youbara's pot, remember?" explained the blonde. Coby gave an "Ah" and pocketed his bills as he removed the ice bags from his legs. He gave a sigh of satisfaction. He had used the _Rankyaku Hakurai_ and the _Rankyaku Ran_ in battle successfully, but best of all, he had learned how to use the _Geppou_. No doubt Garp would have been proud of him and even would have treated him to a big dinner for his accomplishment.

"Hey, the Mayor wanted us to attend the Harvest Festival parade. We are heroes after all, so the townspeople want to thank us," said Mirajane.

"But I can barely move," replied Coby.

"You can move in a wheelchair, idiot," pointed out Mirajane. "After all, we're just going to be on a float waving to the people. No doubt they will mention us in the Weekly Sorcerer next week." Coby blushed, then nodded.

"Okay then. I can't wait then!" Coby placed his hands behind his head and smiled. "Hey Mira?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me something to eat? I can give you some of my Jewels to pick it up." Mirajane blushed a little.

"Uh...umm...okay. What do you want?"

"You know that fish place I wanted to go last night? I want you..." He rummaged around in his pockets and gave Mirajane 2,000 Jewels. "...to buy nothing but grilled shrimp from that place." Mirajane's eyes widened.

"That much? And only in shrimp?" Coby nodded.

"Gotta replenish my energy after all." He gave a smile which made Mirajane's face pink up a bit.

'_Stupid Coby and his smiles...' _"All right, I'll get you those shrimp. Don't blame me if you throw up eating that much." She walked on out of the room. Laxus' eyes rose.

"Why so much food? That much in Jewels can feed a family for five!" Coby smiled sheepishly.

"Well...during my training with my teacher, I developed an appetite for a certain food. My teacher, Garp, always made me eat a lot so that we could always have enough strength in case we were-" Coby was about to say "deployed to duty" but remembered that he told Laxus was born here in Earthland, not in a world of Akuma no Mi and pirates capable of causing tsunamis.

"I mean, we were always training and whatnot. Yeah, that's it. He sort of rubbed off on me since I got a certain craving for a food. While Garp liked donuts and tea crackers, I grew a liking for grilled shrimp."

"I see...talk about an odd teacher," pointed out Laxus.

"No kidding, not to mention he was a slave driver on top of that too." He remembered the exercises Garp put him and Helmeppo through all those times before...shivers ran up the pinkette's spine.

After that, the two remained silent until Mirajane returned with several bags of shrimp, which Coby ate through voraciously, much to Mirajane's disgust.

* * *

_Two days later..._

Coby stirred on his seat on the train. Mirajane was leaning on his shoulder as usual and Laxus was asleep with a magazine over his face. The Harvest Festival went off without a hitch, and the marine remembered as he, Laxus, and Mirajane waved off to the crowds on the floats. When several teenage girls giggled and squealed at Coby in his wheelchair, Mirajane made sure to hop onto his lap and be quite close to the marine. She even went so far as kissing right on the lips, displaying an aura of "_Claimed. Back Off"_ to all girls, much to the Take Over mage's satisfaction and the teenaged girls' chagrin. Fortunately, Coby made sure not to drink during the after party this time, as he and Laxus had to carry an intoxicated Mirajane back to the hotel. To add in with the oddness, Mirajane even_slept, _although thankfully clothed, with the marine despite Coby's protests.

The morning after wasn't so pleasant when Mirajane awoke...Coby could _still_ feel the slap she delivered on his cheek.

The trio left for the train back to Magnolia and would expect to arrive in the middle of the night. Coby gave a sigh and looked at onto the dark countryside. Even in this world, there were villains like the cultists and Youbara that needed to be stopped. There could more out there inflicting harm onto others even as he dozed off several times, the jolts of the train awakening him several times.

Coby had decided that he could not waste time in doing small time jobs; he needed to do jobs that involved bad things happening to others. In other words, jobs that involved only fighting...

When he returned to Magnolia, which could even be in the next hour, he needed to enter into his new apartment and get some well-deserved sleep for a job well done...

* * *

**And that's the end of chapter 6! This is by far the longest chapter I have written, with more than 7784 words written this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I pretty much compensating for the shortness of the last chapter.**

**Now, Youbara's name comes from two japanese words: "You" meaning "evil, or demon"(like Youma for instance) and "Bara" meaning rose. In addition, Youbara's character design was inspired by Kikyo from Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

**Now for attack name translations:**

**Raikouhou-"Thunder King Cannon"**

**Inazuma-"Lightning bolt"**

**Inazuma no Ame-"Rain of Lightning bolts**

**Ikazuchigan-"Thunder Bullet"**

**Rankyaku: Futatsuken- "Storm Leg: Twin Blade"**

**Raitora-"Thunder Tiger"**

**Grenade de Graines-"Seed Grenade"**

**Frénésie de Plantes- "Frenzy Plant"**

**Grêle de Graines-"Seed Hail"**

**Mille Épines-"Thousand Thorns"**

**Bouclier de Plantes-"Plant Shield"**

**The rest of Youbara's French babble is left as an exercise for the readers.**

**And the town Zakuro, comes from the Zakuro pomegranate flower. Coincidentally, Magnolia is also a flower. Oak Town, Phantom Lord's town, is named after a tree oak, so I followed the theme of plants and wildlife.**

**Also, if anyone is a decent FF writer and has knowledge of KHR and Bleach, PM me. I need an idea needing discussing. It involves Adelheid and Ichigo...**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next update is... I don't know.**

**Edited by Zaru, 1 over 0, and Juubi-K**


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. They belong to Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

Coby entered into his new apartment fatigued and limping. They had arrived back in Magnolia on schedule. The only problem was that it was in the middle of the night, and the marine was sleepy.

Laxus took Mirajane off of his hands, as he lived with Makarov and the Take Over siblings' apartment was nearby. This left Coby to find his new apartment, which was near a small canal within the town. He surveyed his new home; it was hopelessly Spartan, which was to be expected as Coby had only just entered it for the first time. The fridge was empty and devoid of food, the cupboards were collecting dust and the small sofa had plastic over it. He wandered around and saw that he lacked a mattress for the bedroom, causing him to sigh.

"The old tenants took away the bed, huh…" said the marine to himself. He let a yawn escape his lips as he decided that tomorrow would be a day off from training and would instead be devoted to cleaning and renovating his new place of residency. And with a stagger and a plop, he fell onto the sofa, ignoring the plastic, and finally went to sleep.

* * *

_The next morning…_

Coby awoke with a start. When he was with the Marines, the soldiers would always wake up early to get first in line at the mess hall whether it was at an outpost, on a battleship, or in the barracks. He stretched and reached for his bandana and glasses, wrapping them around his head. Coby rarely slept in, and judging how the sun was pouring through his window blinds, he had. Hearing his stomach growl, the boy went to the door and walked out onto the small street. He saw the canal lively with boats, and decided to walk on the ledge like a tight rope. He slowly walked, his arms held out to balance himself.

"Careful kid! Don't fall in now!" called a voice. Coby turned and saw one of the boatmen waving at him. Coby smiled back.

"I will!" Coby lept off of the ledge and ran towards Fairy Tale. Maybe he could ask his friends and guildmates to help him clean house?

He soon arrived, the guild bustling with activity as usual. He took a seat over by the bar next to a red haired girl in armor eating a slice of cake. The marine remembered meeting her on his first day of joining the guild.

"You're Erza right?" asked Coby. The redhead turned towards him, her eyes going up.

"Ah Coby. Good morning."

"Good morning to you too," responded the pinkette as he accepted a mug of water and began to drink. There was an awkward silence between the two as Coby ordered a few croissants for breakfast.

"So…are you competing in the S-class trials this year?" asked the marine. Erza looked away.

"No, I'm not ready yet. Next year or so I will, maybe" Coby nodded.

"Okay okay…what type of magic do you use?" Erza turned towards him in confusion.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well we are guildmates right? Doesn't that make us comrades?"

"I suppose so…well if you want to know I am still trying to learn how to use _Requip_ magic," Coby turned towards her with intrigue.

"Requip? What's that?"

"It's a magic where I can equip various types of armor and weapons."

"Wow that sounds cool! So you can switch between a thick heavy battle armor for a light chain mail or a huge sword for a pair of daggers? Something like that?"

"Yes," Erza nodded. "Is it okay for you to be talking to me though?" Coby's head quirked in confusion.

"Why's that?"

"Aren't you Mirajane's boyfriend?" asked the redhead. Coby rubbed the back of his head.

"Well…technically but we're aren't in a _romantic_ relationship, per se." Erza stopped eating her strawberry cake and looked intrigued.

"But isn't that what boyfriends and girlfriends do? Get into a romantic relationship?" Coby shrugged.

"Well the reason me and her are a couple is because I am going to be her partner in the trials so we need to be well coordinated in teamwork in order to make Mirajane an S-Class mage. You get what I'm saying?" Erza nodded. "In addition, this is also an educational experience for the both of us so that when we do find a partner, we won't look stupid and inexperienced. Besides, once we finish the trials we are separating."

"Why though? I mean wouldn't you want to stay together?" asked another voice, Coby turned around and, lo and behold, and for the first time not drinking, was Cana.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop you know…" pointed out the marine. The brunette didn't seem to care.

"You and Mirajane are in some form of a relationship and you're breaking up when _she_ becomes an S-Class mage?" Cana shook her head. "Coby she's using you, don't you know that?"

"That's not true! She's not using me!" said Coby in defense. The brunette sighed.

"The signs are right there. Temporary relationship, one is in control of the relationship, using said relationship for one's benefit. Open your eyes newbie, she's using you for a stepping stone," said Cana sternly, as she grabbed a flask out of nowhere and took a swig. Coby felt tapping on his shouder and turned, seeing Erza no longer looking awkward and confused but concerned.

"Is this true Coby?" she asked. Coby shook his head.

"No, it isn't!"

"Did she threaten you to be her partner? Please be truthful on this!" said Erza with a tone wanting no false answer, judging by the look on her face. Coby gulped and tried to find a way out.

"I…uh…" suddenly the marine thought of Mirajane looking sadistically down at him, holding out two butcher knives and swishing them together.

"_Eu~nuch~"_ she sang in a singsong tone. Coby didn't need to answer, as he started to sweat and stammer. Erza scowled.

"I knew it. She bullies Natsu and now she ascends to using others for her own gain. How dare she," snarled Erza as she stood up. But she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Coby with a serious look on his face.

"She isn't using me Erza. I'm telling you the truth here," said the marine sternly. Coby knew he was lying, but he didn't want his comrades to be fighting over something so trivial as a _pseudo-_relationship. He's getting stronger and may get a spot in the trials next year so why fret? He got into being Mirajane's partner, and he would follow through with it.

"You may not know it, but think about it," Erza retorted. "She's using you _temporarily_ for her to get a damn promotion. Can't you understand that!"

"It's nothing! Now I was wondering if you can help me clean my apartment please!" said Coby, raising his voice and causing a few others to turn towards the spectacle. Cana smirked.

"Ah, I get it. Make Mira jealous by asking her rival to help you clean house? This may be interesting," said the alcoholic. Coby blanched.

"No! That's not what I had in mind!"

"Had what in mind?" responded Erza.

"Coby!" barked an all too familiar voice. Coby paled and turned around, and there was Mirajane, arm's crossed, with her siblings behind her.

"Hi Coby!" waved Lisanna. Coby waved back dumbly as Mirajane marched over towards him.

"We're going on a job together and you're coming with us! Chop chop!" She grabbed Coby by the scruff of his shirt and began dragging him. Suddenly she stopped, sniffing, and paled.

"Guh! You haven't washed your clothes yet after all this time you've been here! What are you, a slob!" The verbal abuse continued as she spun him around, inspecting him. Coby was completely at her mercy.

"Well this is only set of clothes I got…" But he felt another tug and saw Erza grabbing his other hand.

"Mirajane! I know that you've been using poor Coby here to pass the S-class exam! Explain yourself!"

"I ain't explaining myself to the likes of you! Now buzz off!" barked Mirajane as she tugged his left arm.

"So you admit it! Unhand him!" Erza tugged on his right. The marine began to feel some déjà vu…

"Can I just ask you guys to help me clean my house and get me clothes please!" he yelled, hoping to defuse a possible powder keg. Now some bystanders in the guild were looking at him, and the girls looked at him as well.

"Why do you need help cleaning your apartment?" asked Elfman, speaking for the first time.

"I just moved in and it's messy and barren. I was wondering if you could assist me into making it look at least presentable and livable. Please?" he pleaded as both girls looked at him, thinking of their answers.

"I'll be happy to help! I'll get Natsu and Happy and they'll help too!" chirped Lisanna as she skipped through the hall to find the younger pinkette.

"Lisanna! Get back here!" But she was already out of reach. Mirajane turned towards her younger brother. "Elfman bring her back here!" Elfman nodded in obedience to his older sister and ran off. Now she turned back towards Coby.

"So you need help cleaning house huh?" The marine nodded dumbly. Mirajane shrugged.

"Sure I'll help out," she said in a nonchalant manner. "Don't need to overwork myself with jobs. Besides, my arm could use a break after being nearly blown up anyway." Erza scowled.

"Didn't you just say that you were going on a job? I'll be happy to help Coby out. Besides my room is tidier than yours, which proves I'm a better cleaner." Mirajane sneered at her.

"Oh really?" Now she let go of the marine and butted heads with the Requip mage, sparks flying in-between their eyes.

"Yeah I can clean better than you ever will Succubus."

"I doubt it firecrotch." Coby looked sheepish but he didn't want his friends to fight just to see who could help him clean his apartment.

"Uh…Erza…Mira…please don't-"

"Stay out of this!" they snapped, causing him to yelp and shut up.

"Girls, why don't you prove it?" said Cana, causing the girls to turn towards the brunette. "Why don't you both help clean Coby's pad, then see who does better? Compare and Contrast your styles. How about that?" She took out a deck of odd looking cards and shuffled through them, picking out four at random. Both the _Requip _and_ Take Over_ mage turned towards each other.

"Fine. I'll prove to you once and for all I can manage and clean better than you ever will firecrotch." Mirajane gave a smirk.

"Bring it on," replied Erza with equal fervor. Coby looked a bit flabbergasted.

"So…you'll both help?" Both girls nodded.

"Yep. After we take you shopping for new clothes. You are _not_ staying in those duds forever, understand me?" Mirajane retorted with a tone wanting no defiance.

"For once we agree on something. He did smell a bit…" Coby deflated on Erza's comment. He sniffed himself and paled.

"Yeah…I need new clothes."

With that said, the Marine, the Requip and Take Over mages walked out the guild hall together, the girls glaring at each other with Coby in the center, looking a bit uncomfortable as the young teens had looks that could kill. Cana watched the spectacle in amusement and flipped three of the four cards over.

"Hmmm…The Sun, which symbolizes steadfastness and reliability…no matter how bleak the situation, things will be alright in the end. The Ace of Cups, which predicts the potential of a long and passionate bond. And the Three of Cups which signifies different people working together and achieving happiness…" She was about to flip the next card before a voice interrupted her.

"Hey Cana." She perked up and saw Laxus sitting down in the seat next to her. "Have you seen Coby by any chance?" Cana let a small smile grace her lips.

"Yeah. He left towards his new apartment in order to start cleaning it up. Erza and Mirajane left to go help him." Laxus' eyes quirked.

"Erza? _And_ Mirajane? I gotta go save him before that powder keg erupts. Thanks for letting me know." Laxus ran out of the hall. Cana was about flip the next card until she heard giggling. The brunette turned around and Lisanna leading Natsu by the hand out of the guild hall, slowing down to keep a distance from Laxus. She saw the distress on Natsu's face but Cana assumed he could put up with it.

_'That boy is gonna be so whipped when they get older,'_ thought Cana as she finally flipped the last card.

It was Death, riding on his spectral steed over a calm stream.

It was enough to strike fear into the heart of almost any man. The appearance of the Death card has a similar effect on most people outside of those who understood the Tarot, although it really should not. Whether one likes it or not, Death is one of the most powerful cards in the Tarot and Cana knew how powerful it could be. Humans naturally fear the unknown, and so Death is their greatest fear because it cannot be identified. It does not discriminate; therefore all titles, all social standing, and all achievements made in life are rendered pointless before death. That is why Death is so terrifying. The majority of humans are unaware that their mind and spirit die all the time, constantly shedding old beliefs and acquiring new ones upon a cycle of rebirth. It has been said many times: the Death card is not just a card of death, but it is a card of transformation.

_'In the Tarot, as in reality, Death is nothing more than a transition to the next level of life. Whether you believe that a soul goes to heaven or back to Earth to be reincarnated, the fact remains that the soul lives on. The candle is extinguished, but only because the day has come. The river shown on the Death card is a symbol, showing that life will go on, no matter what disastrous things happen. The river water will reach the sea, rise into the clouds, then rain onto the land to flow into the river again. Nothing is destroyed, because nothing can be destroyed - there can be only transformation,' _thought Cana to herself. What did this mean? The young brunette took another swig as she inspected the cards again.

There is the Ace of Cups, signifying the beginning of potential satisfying and passionate relationship. It doesn't really symbol a romantic relationship per se, it could mean a great friendship, a relationship that is similar to brothers, sisters, brother and sister, and so forth. Or possibly a parent-like relationship. The Sun defined that there will be order and everything will be all right in the end. So even in ones darkest hour, it is only the darkest before the dawn, and with the dawn comes order. The Three of Cups signified different people working together and attaining a common goal. And there was Death, where change is, or maybe was, forced upon someone and is forever changed.

"What does this mean…" pondered Cana. Never in her young life had she studied such an diverse yet unique Tarot before…

* * *

_A few hours later_

Coby carried several bags of clothes, all belonging to him. The shopping took a bit longer than he liked due to both Mirajane and Erza picking out clothes for him and trying them on him. He felt like a child's doll for whatever reason. Why didn't the girls let him choose the clothes he wanted…he would have gotten by with just plain long sleeve shirts and blue pants, but they had to go above and beyond and make him buy clothes that were "fashionable". At least he bought some grubs for him to sleep and clean in and he would be cleaning the apartment in his clean new clothes. Why would he dirty up brand new clothes when he could just wear his already old ones?

Erza and Mirajane walked in front him, glaring at each other as usual as they walked on the busy street. But Coby realized that they didn't have any cleaning items…

"Hey girls?" the mentioned. They turned towards him.

"We forgot to buy some cleaning stuff…" said the marine. Mirajane realized this and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'll get it…you already spent a lot on the clothes and your funds are limited," groaned Mirajane as she was about to walk into a general store but was stopped by someone tugging her arm. She turned towards the redhead grabbing her arm.

"Let me buy it. I have a jewels to spare and besides, I feel that I need to pitch in anyway." Mirajane narrowed her eyes towards Erza.

"You? With jewels? Give me a break," scoffed Mirajane. But the armor wearing girl shoved past her, ignoring the comment, and walked into the store, leaving Coby and Mirajane to wait outside.

"So…why are you and Erza so…adverse towards each other?" asked the pinkette. The silver haired goth huffed.

"Why do you want to know?" Coby shrugged.

"Well…you guys seem so…hostile towards one another. What caused this rivalry between you two anyway?"

"For starters she stands up for those two immature brats Natsu and Gray," explained Mirajane. Coby remembered the two young kids, the fire using pinkette and the dark haired streaker, albeit by nature and not unintentional.

"Those two seem alright. What's wrong with them, other than Gray's tendency to strip?"

"Natsu is bad influence on Lisanna. I mean the kid is a total barbarian and can't stand transportation, not to mention he's totally unreliable and incredibly impulsive!" The marine quirked his head.

"So he gets motion sickness?" The goth nodded.

"Okay! Got what we needed!" explained Erza, carrying a bucket of various cleaning items and holding what looked like a broom on one end and a mop on the other.

"How convient!" exclaimed Coby when he saw the item. Erza smiled.

"It was on sale. Consider it a gift," smiled the redhead. The marine was touched.

"You don't need to…I mean…"

"No no…I insist, please accept it" pressured Erza, Mirajane scowling at her direction. Coby knew it would be rude to refuse, and she had paid with her own money as well.

"Well…okay then!" And the trio walked off for Coby's apartment. They reached his residence within an hour and walked inside.

"Yeah…this place needs cleaning for sure…" muttured Mirajane as she took note of the dust on the floor, on the walls, and basically covering every inch of the apartment.

"Yep…first things first we should-" He was interrupted by a flash of light behind him and turned around. Erza had been wearing full armor; now she was wearing a French maid outfit, complete with a frilly skirt and stockings along with a duster replacing her sword.

"Alright. Let's open all the windows first to get some breathing room!" chirped Erza as she walked towards the window. Coby was red in the face for Erza's choice of attire…could that frilly dress get any shorter? He felt a glowering presence and saw Mirajane giving him _that_ look.

"No ideas…" she whispered in his ears. The marine stiffened up and nodded, emptying the bucket and getting to work…

Coby attacked the floors with fervor with his giant sponge. He powered his legs and sped down hard down the room. While he couldn't get any training in, he could at least do some legwork. The marine felt nostalgic as he cleaned as this type of work was similar to the old chores he used to do on Marine ships along with Helmeppo.

Mirajane worked on wiping the counters and windows while Erza swept. Thankfully the redhead didn't bend over _too_ much. Coby stood up and brushed the sweat off his head.

"How's progress?" he asked.

"Okay. The windows are almost done," toned Mirajane as she wiped the small kitchen area with a wet cloth.

"I swept all the dust bunnies away. I'll take care of the bathroom next," chimed Erza. She moved her hand to her head and much to the marine's shock and the goth's ire...

She conjured bunny ears. Coby blinked in confusion.

"What's with the ears?" asked the pinkette. Mirajane kept on scowling at the redhead.

"I like 'em. Do you Coby?" asked Erza as she walked towards Coby, who started to blush a little. Here was a rather cute red-haired girl, in a French maid outfit, and bunny ears, asking for a complement. But behind him he could sense Mirajane's silent anger.

"Well…they're-"

"Hello my prince!" chirped a familiar voice, breaking the tension in the air immediately. The three occupants inside the apartment turned towards the door, seeing Laxus and two other shorter companions.

"Natsu! Lisanna! Laxus! How did you find my place?" asked the marine. Silently, he thanked for their timely intervention.

"I smelled you out that's how! And man did you _reek!_" laughed the younger pinkette before his ear was pinched by the smaller silver haired girl, causing him to yelp. The affair looked rather comical.

"Natsu! Don't say such things to my knight in shining armor! You need to use a proper manner of respect, and you should teach such things to Happy too!" scolded Lisanna.

"Careful with hs ear…" muttered Laxus as she was unintentionally tugging hard. While Natsu pleaded her to let go, Mirajane narrowed her eyes.

"Lisanna! How many times must I tell you! Don't hang out with him!" Erza now turned towards the goth, her face in fury.

"You're not the boss of her! Let her choose her own friends!" Now their heads were close to butting, now their full attention at each other.

"Piss off Rosebud! I'm her older sister!"

"Make me wrist-slicer!"

"Guys please stop! I don't wanna see you fighting!" urged Coby as he got in between the girls and shoved them away. "I hate it when comrades are fighting each other for redundant reasons! Why do you two argue and bicker?" demanded the marine as he raised his tone to high levels, causing everyone in the room to shut up.

"Answer me! Please!" Mirajane and Erza looked at each other, then back to Coby, then away again.

"I don't want Natsu influencing Lisanna…and Erza sticks up for him so… and…" But the redhead cut her off.

"Mirajane is totally confrontational, Coby. If there's one thing she likes it's conflict. Also..," Erza sneered towards Mirajane. "She likes to see Natsu cry." Coby turned towards the silver haired girl with shock on his face.

"Mira…" Mirajane turned away.

"It's true!" bellowed Natsu. "She says I'm _cute_ when I cry, which is rarely never!"

"Rarely never doesn't make any sense…" said Laxus in a deadpan tone.

"So what if it matters? Can't we just go back to work and let bygones be bygones? Besides, I never meant-" huffed the silver haired mage. Coby remained silent as he walked out the door past Laxus.

"Coby, where are you going?" asked Erza as she followed after him.

"Shopping for furniture. I'll change later…" he replied silently and walked down the street with his shoulders slumped. Erza felt ashamed and turned towards Mirajane as she walked past Natsu and Lisanna. There was an awkward silence before the door closed, and Erza let loose her fury.

"Now look what you done you bitch!" she yelled, no longer in an adverse rival-like of way, but with pure anger.

"You're saying it's _my_ fault! If you didn't come here, this all never would have happened you skank!" retorted Mirajane in response.

"Don't you blame me! You're a cruel person and how Coby puts up with the likes of you is beyond me, no wonder you're latching onto him like a piece of meat!"

"Shut it! At least I don't have a fake eye like you! I'm sure boys get turned off by that! You must go cross-eyed sometimes!" Now they were dangerously close to a fight, Erza dispelling her French maid costume for battle armor and drawing her sword. Laxus had to defuse the situation, otherwise these two would be at each other's throats as real, bloodthirsty enemies.

"At least I wasn't abandoned by my parents because they didn't _love me and saw me as a burden!_" Now Mirajane transformed her hands into her demon claws, her face seething with rage.

"Take that back!"

"You first slut!"

Laxus turned towards where Lisanna and Natsu were standing to see their reactions to the swearing, and saw only Natsu. The lightning mage paled.

Lisanna was gone.

"Stop this!" he yelled. He jumped towards them and grabbed Erza's sword and Mirajane's claws. "Lisanna is gone!" Mirajane's face deflated in an instant and Natsu turned towards where the youngest of the Take Over siblings was standing and gasped. He ran out the door to check, but there was no sign of her or Coby. Just a massive crowd of people commercing.

"See what you done Mirajane! You scared her off!" yelled Natsu, mustering the courage to stand up to his tormenter as Mirajane looked ashamed.

"There's no time to be pointing fingers! Let's go and find them before something happens to her!" bellowed Laxus.

"I'll find her! Leave her to my nose!" Natsu nodded and ran out first, followed by Laxus. Mirajane ran after the blonde with Erza following behind. Deep down, both girls were feeling similar feelings, one more so than the other. They both were worried for Lisanna's welfare and felt that they made a serious mistake in fighting, especially when it came to someone who's sensitive like the pink haired _Rokushiki_ user and the younger _Take Over_ sibling.

Both girls sought to apologize to both children and to each other for their misbehavior, and they both looked at each other and nodded.

Their rivalry must be cast aside for the sake of finding one of their own.

* * *

Coby walked aimlessly around town trying to find a furniture shop before sitting down on one of the canal ledges, brooding.

He should never have asked Mirajane and Erza to help him clean…all it did really was worsen the rivalry between the two. He remembered the glances the two were throwing at each other. How could two comrades dislike each other so immensely? Natsu and Gray were easy to understand, as they were complete opposites, Natsu being a fire mage and Gray an Ice Make mage, as informed by Cana. But the two girls took it up to eleven with their rivalry that seemed to border on sheer hatred. Was it women's pride? The marine heard from Laxus on the train ride back from Zakuro that Erza could be a possible candidate for next year for the S-Class trials, so maybe Mirajane felt her presence as one of the strongest females in Fairy Tail threatened. Was it that Lisanna spent more time with Natsu more than her? Or maybe it was the two girls' upbringing? Coby didn't know.

'_Why do women have to be so damn confusing_?' he thought as he looked down at the water, looking back at himself via his reflection.

Suddenly he felt a tug on his shoulder and looked behind him.

Smiling at him was a beaming Lisanna. For whatever reason she didn't seemed sad.

"Hey Princey!" chirped the younger girl as she sat down next to him as if she hadn't have a care in the world. "What'cha doin?"

"Uh…pondering…I have no clue where a shop that sells furniture is here in Magnolia…and I guess I needed some air…" Coby looked a bit downtrodden. Maybe he should have done the work by himself…that way what the girls did would never have happened.

"Erza and Mirajane can get into fights sometimes, but it's usually to see who's the better girl mage or for my sake or heck, even the smallest thing. Don't let it get to ya," smiled Lisanna up to the taller pinkette.

"Yeah…but still, the way they were fighting didn't seem like a rivalry at all…I mean I understand Gray and Natsu but…"

"There's nothing to worry about Coby! After all, we are all members of Fairy Tail. We are one big happy family! And so what if two sisters fight. I wouldn't be surprised if Mira fought with Erza _because_ she somewhat cares for her. I mean Mira never fights with me, so maybe that's it. She's taking that 'fight energy' on her instead me because she loves us that much." Coby's eye quirked.

"Really? Like a sort of 'tough love' situation between the two?" Lisanna nodded.

"Yep! Their rivalry keeps each other motivated to get stronger and it keeps them on each other's toes. You should have seen their reaction when Mirajane was selected to be a Trial candidate!" She giggled while Coby tried to picture it in his mind. He sort of chuckled as well.

"Yeah, I guess Erza would be a bit jealous and Mirajane would be a bit cocky," commented the pinkette. The two looked off into the sky, watching the boats pass and the townspeople going about their lives behind them.

"Wanna go get the furniture? I'll help pick! I have quite the fine taste if I say so myself," said the younger Take Over sibling. Coby smiled.

"Sure thing," he agreed, and the two stood up and walked off, Lisanna in the lead. Suddenly she turned around and closed her eyes and smiled, grabbing his hand.

"Let's go prince! The furniture isn't going to buy itself!" she exclaimed as Lisanna pulled Coby to keep up with her. The affair of a 11 year old girl pulling a 14 year old boy through a crowd made a few bystanders chuckle in amusement and the occasional female onlooker cooed.

'_Least I know why Natsu doesn't resist. She has a strong grip...but soft too..._'

**A challenger appears! Just kidding…**

**I'm getting PMs demanding the pairing, well I'm saying this: it's not set in stone. Mirajane could very well hang onto him, or she could lose him to the likes of Erza, Lucy, Levy or even Lisanna (but that's tittering near pedo territory now isn't it? But there was that loli Rika from early One Piece that hung out with Coby…) But I digress. I am not planning the pairing subject far in the future, only fight scenes. I have thought up of numerous scenarios for each girl should they win, so stop pestering me. I am not planning things out, I just write from a chap to chap basis save for important events.**

**No action this chapter, mainly character development. Next chapter will have the next job and the resolution to this lil conflict thing going on with our circle of Fairy Tail mages.**

**I'm also thinking about making a Naruto fic(with the help from the legendary LD 1449 and EliadS of all people. Feels good having friends in high places), but considering my current load of 6 fics, 2 primary(this fic and Words) and the other 3 for incase I get Writers block, it's unlikely. Not to mention I currently despise the main characters in Naruto as is (one is a two dimensional douche, the other a two dimensional immature raging homo, and the other useless and bitchy). But seeing how populous the fandom is, I may lure readers from there to here, and vice versa.**

**Also I noticed that I tend to update this fic far more often than my others, and it maybe due it's popularity, so I wanna thank you, the readers. It's thanks to you all that I hit over 5.2k hits!**

**Edited by 1 over 0. Edit from Juubi-K will come later.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. They belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro ****Oda.**

"Hmmm…that one!"

"That one?"

"Mmmm…nah! That one over there!"

'_Ain't that the forth one…'_ thought Coby as he walked over with Lisanna to inspect a small three-person couch. The marine had no qualms with hauling the luggage around town in the hand-drawn cart they'd rented, he used to lug around heavier stuff while training with Garp.

"Well…what sort of color should we get?"

"What's your favorite color Coby?"

"Blue and white. Maybe a bit of grey too."

"Well why didn't you say so silly! Let's get that one then!" chirped the silver haired girl as they walked over to a dark blue coach with a 2000 J sales tag.

"Wow, 2000 jewels! It's on sale too," remarked the marine with a grin.

"Awesome! Hey miss!" A clerk walked on over. "We'll take this one then please!"

"Wait, we?"

The clerk, a young red haired female, looked down at the couple and smiled. "Awww! Are you two brother and sister?"

"Well we are in-"

"He's my knight in shining armor of course!" The clerk cooed.

"Oh he's your boyfriend then? How old are you then?"

"I'm 11 years old! Coby is… how old are you Coby?"

"Uh…14?"

"Aw so cute! I'll be happy to add the couch to cart if you like." Coby shook his head.

"There's no need ma'am, I can lift it myself."

"Are you sure? For a kid your age it may be a bit heavy…"

"Oh he can lift it fine! He knocked out a big ole lion with a single punch!" exclaimed Lisanna. Coby rubbed the back of his head.

"Well to be fair he was actually a giant panther, no, wait, it was a Take Over mage...but I... you know what, it's fine. I'll lift it." The marine took the couch and lifted it up over his head with both hands. The clerk watched in amazement as he hefted it without any sign of strain. Lisanna crossed her arms and nodded.

"That's my Prince for ya!"

"Oh my! Well…I suppose you'll be fine with the cart then?"

"I will," replied the pinkette. Like with the cleaning earlier, he saw this as another way of training, albeit very light. But after getting those nasty leg sprains during his fight with Youbara, light training was necessary.

"Well the rental carts cost 1000 jewels a day, but if you return them here by tonight you get half off."

"Will do. Thanks ma'am." And with some guidance from Lisanna, he walked out of the store, the eyes of passersby going up at his great strength. He hefted the couch onto the cart and sighed.

"Okay. What next?"

"Well…do you have a bed?" asked Lisanna.

Coby's face turned sour.

"The previous owners took away the mattress, and the bed frame looks a bit rickety too. So let's get a new bed, a table, a coffee table, and we'll be good for the day. We'll also need some grooming utensils as well, such as shampoo, tooth paste, all that fun stuff."

Lisanna gave a salute in playfulness. "Aye sir!"

And the two went back into the store.

_Elsewhere in Magnolia…_

Natsu came to a stop, catching his breath as he placed his hands on his knees. Laxus and Mirajane followed up close behind with Erza.

"Well Natsu?"

"Lisanna's scent is here and…" He sniffed a few more times at the ground, almost like a dog would. He paled. "Ugh, and the scent of someone who hasn't bathed in days."

"Coby hasn't bathed yet too! She must have found him here!" pointed out Erza as she pulled a looking glass out of nowhere and changed into a long brown trench coat and an odd hat. She even brought an odd pipe too for good measure, looking like an old detective.

"What's with the get-up?" asked Laxus as Erza continued to look down at the ground, as if inspecting it under a microscope. Mirajane gave a sigh of frustration.

"They didn't stay here. Where did they go, Natsu?"

The young pinkette stood up and took more sniffs of air.

"This way! They must have gone downtown!"

"Lead the way!"

Natsu and the girls bolted down the street, leaving Laxus pondering.

"Why did she wear that outfit…?" he asked himself. He chased after them.

_An hour later_

"Yes-yes-yes! That will come to a total of 25,000 jewels please, " mentioned the kind glassed clerk, this one different from before.

"Already a day after my job and I've nearly spent a third of my funds…" sighed Coby as he handed the nice woman the bills. Behind him was a huge cart with the bed and sheets, the couch, a table, a coffee table, and a nightstand. He had arranged that the chair would be on top and tied down, and Lisanna was sitting on there like a queen.

"Onward my Prince! Your humble abode awaits!" the clerk chuckled.

"Your date is rather enthusiastic isn't she?" Coby blushed.

"We're not like that! We're just friends!"

"Of course of course! Come again!"

Coby grabbed the metal bars in front of the cart and got himself positioned.

"You ready Lisanna?"

"Yep!" And Coby sped off, speeding with the massive cart down the street as if it was nothing, pumping his legs. After all, learning _Soru_ and _Rankyaku_ gave one incredible leg strength, and this didn't require nearly as much endurance as the Zakuro Town fight.

"Tally-ho~!" cheered the younger Take Over sibling as she was having the ride of her life. Coby chuckled as he made turns and drifts. But then he got thinking…

His job as a mage for Fairy Tail was nice, but having a part-time job wouldn't hurt either. Maybe he could submit an application at that furniture place.

As he was a block away from the store, Furn Gully, the clerk, watched in amazement. She couldn't believe what she saw.

"Maybe he's unemployed?" she wondered as she stood there blinking and wondering how a fourteen-year-old kid was able to haul around a huge cart packed with furniture (and one young girl) like it was nothing. A guy like him would be very useful. She brought out a chocolate pop and began to suck on it, wondering what sort of scheme she'd need in order to get his employment.

Then she saw a young boy with pink hair, the same as that "Prince" guy, run up to her. He stopped, panting like he'd run a marathon, heaving in gushes of oxygen.

"This..is...the…place…" panted Natsu. Slowly, Mirajane, Erza and Laxus followed. The girls were as winded as he was. The tall blonde man looked a bit tired but not as much his younger compatriots.

"You should have gone at your own pace guys," pointed out Laxus. No one bothered to retort as they were too out of breath. The woman finished her chocolate lollipop and grinned,

"Yes-yes-yes! Welcome to Furn Gully's! Where we have the cheapest and finest furniture in Magnolia! My name is Daphne and how may I help you?" Mirajane walked up to her.

"Pink-haired…guy…little girl…my hair…where?" she panted.

"Ah you mean the super strong guy named Prince and a girl named Lisanna yes?" Laxus perked up, as he was the only one of the group who wasn't winded.

"Where did they go and what did they do?"

"Well they bought some furniture," muffled Daphne as she had a begun suckling on another chocolate lollipop. "And they sped out of here on their rental cart, probably to head back to their nest."

"Okay thanks a lot. Guys, they're heading back to the apartment, but this time, we'll walk, how about that?" He turned towards his younger companions and guildmates, who nodded. N ormally, Mirajane and Natsu would have wanted to speed their way to where Lisanna was, but she was in good hands with Coby. Laxus gave his thanks to Daphne and they walked out of the store.

_Back at Coby's apartment…_

"And~ we're here!" yelled Coby as he skidded to a stop. He stopped the cart in front of his apartment door.

"Wheeeeee~!" Lisanna held out her arms as if she was on a coaster. "That was awesome!" She climbed down the furniture and hopped into Coby's arms.

"Sounds like you were having fun right?"

"It was great! Maybe we can do it again sometime!" chirped the young Take Over sibling. "Now let's arrange your furniture! Set it up nicely!"

"Well I can do it myself Lisanna, you don't need work yourself," said the marine.

"Well you need make sure your home looks nicely! You need Women's Intuition after all!"

"Woman's Intuition?"

"Yeah of course! If there's one thing that's absolutely correct in the world, it's women's intuition! Now chop-chop! Let's get that furniture arranged!" Coby carried her bridal style to his apartment, set her down at the door, and headed back to the cart to pick up the furniture. He hefted the huge couch overhead and walked towards the door, Lisanna waiting inside.

"Okay set that couch over there!" Coby set the couch down, Lisanna in a thinking pose. Coby gave a breath of air as he rubbed his arms. Hauling that heavy cart around town, speed cleaning, and all the day after getting a major leg cramp from his fight with Youbara. This was supposed to be his off day too…

And he still hadn't had a chance to take a bath yet.

"Nah over there!" Coby pushed the couch over a few inches. Lisanna still had that same look.

"A bit to left…" Coby obeyed. "Nah to the right, just a smidge." And he did. Lisanna beamed.

"Perfect! Now onto the next! Once we're done we can go to the local Hot springs!"

"Local hot springs?"

"Yeah, I mean you haven't bathed yet since you arrived in Earthland right?" Coby looked away, a bit of red coming to his face.

"Yeah…"

"Well…just put the stuff down here from the cart and we can go now! We can do all this later once we are all clean and shiny," chirped the silver haired girl. Coby smiled and took the furniture from the cart one by one and set them in the middle of the room and walked with Lisanna out the door.

"Lead the way," said the marine with a smile as he gave an extravagant bow. "Your Royal Highness." Lisanna grinned from ear to ear as she took Coby's hand and the two walked down the street to the springs.

_A half hour later…_

Laxus opened the door to the apartment. He entered, seeing the furniture in the middle of the room but no Lisanna or Coby. He gave a sigh.

"We missed them. Again." His response was two frustrated sighs.

"Okay, I am officially getting tired of running around town doing this wild goose chase, and when I find him I'm gonna wring his neck..." complained Mirajane.

"What could Lisanna and Coby be doing anyway? Wouldn't they want to set up house?" pondered the young Dragon Slayer.

"Who knows? But we can trust Coby to look after Lisanna. You do trust him, right Mirajane?" Erza looked towards her silver haired rival. Mirajane looked away.

"Well of course, he is looking after his girlfriend's little sister. If he knew what's best for him he'd take good care of her," responded the goth. Erza gave a sigh.

"Look, we can stay here and bicker more, or we can look for Coby before the sun sets. I am sure we are all getting hungry right?" Laxus' answer to that was a growling stomach from Natsu.

"No kidding…" he groaned.

"Take it like a man. Let's go…again." Mirajane led the way out of the apartment, taking the lead this time, with Natsu close behind acting as hound dog.

A tumult of emotions ran through the goth. It was true that she may have acted out of line that day, though it may have been due to Erza butting her nose in. Then again, she always did so why was it so surprising? Then there was Coby and Lisanna. She remembered explicitly telling him that she was _his_ under threat of castration. When she saw Lisanna's annoyed face, she assumed that she was jealous.

Obviously Lisanna must have had a tinge of memory loss or had a short attention span as she was in good cahoots with Coby once again, maybe _too_ good for the Take Over mage's liking. But then again, other than herself and Elfman(and as much as she hated to admit it, Natsu) there was only one other person she would trust Lisanna's life to.

And that person was Coby Marineford, her partner for the S-class Mage trials and for her relationship. A righteous indignation came to her. If Coby and her fell out by the trials' end as per the agreement, Lisanna would stop at nothing to gain his affection. In addition, she already had to deal with Erza, who had obviously taken notice and may seek to enter a relationship with Coby. As she thought back, Cana had shown a remarkable amount of interest as well. Mirajane groaned.

'_I hate competition…'_

Erza Scarlet was also on her own thinking train. When she first saw Coby Marineford, he was an awkward boy, and still was in some respects. But he was also very kind and very open. Maybe it was that openness that made the redhead so intrigued by the pinkette. Whenever she was not trying to separate Gray and Natsu, she was usually training or going on small time jobs. But ever since Coby came up to her that morning she couldn't get her mind off of him.

When he arrived, he was an enigma, much like the S-class mage Mystogan. But not as secretive or shy. Well he was shy, which added to his awkwardness. But still an enigma.

Erza knew almost nothing about him, only that he had saved the lives of the Take Over siblings from a batch of insane cultists and was in some twisted pact with Mirajane as her boyfriend as a "learning experience" until the trials' completion. The Requip mage scowled. She didn't like the fact that her rival was using a comrade to advance forward in rank.

If Mirajane did become an S-Class mage, what would stop her from using Coby for another use? Something deplorable or even humiliating? She wouldn't allow her to do that. Not to a fellow comrade.

And there was his openness, always free to discuss whatever he liked, something Erza would never have the courage to do. The way Laxus described it, even his fighting style was open, while she fought behind a suit of armor.

A boy in blue hair holding his hand and smiling came to her mind, and she quashed that thought out. She didn't need to be reminded of back then…

Of how she lost _him_…

'_Jellal…'_

Laxus took note of this. Erza was acting depressed and Mirajane was looking deflated, while Natsu was playing bloodhound.

How did Coby have an effect on not one, not two, but possibly three girls, and who could say that number won't grow? He gave a sigh.

'_Fucking women. How do they work?'_

_At Elai Springs across town…_

Coby gave a sigh of relief as he sank into the giant tub, encircled by stone walls. Lisanna had gone on into the woman's section while he settled for the man's section. At only a thousand Jewels an hour, it was a pretty nice deal.

The marine felt himself being cleansed as the hot water renewed his aching body. Usually he would try to go for an ice bath but he was on a tight budget so he couldn't spend the resources to attain the old standard he used to live by back in the Marines. He would need to do some big time jobs and get a lot of money fast, or live sparingly doing jobs like he did with Laxus and Mira. Then again, it couldn't hurt to do both and balance it out right.

"First bath in Earthland. Feels great," he said to himself.

Suddenly, the wall facing adjacent from him blew up causing him to jump. He turned his head and his jaw dropped in shock.

Gildarts Clive stood there, in nothing but a towel.

"Gi-Gi-Gildarts! What are you doing here! There was a door over there you know!" He pointed towards the sliding door.

"Hey Coby. Can't a man take a bath on his own leisure?" said the auburn haired man nonchalantly as he lowered himself into the spring, taking off his towel. "Besides, I always come here before going out on a job anyway." Coby averted his eyes, a slight scowl on his face.

"What's with your pickle face? Low on cash?" The marine turned towards Gildarts, who sprawled his arms out around the edge.

"Gee, how did you know," replied Coby sarcastically. '_He didn't answer my question regarding the door though…_' But for whatever reason, Gildarts didn't see it as sarcasm.

"Well I guess it's only natural. Your first job was a co-job with a minimal reward (maybe that's just me), and split up among others. Not to mention you just got your own place. You probably don't even have food and lighting yet, do you?" Coby shook his head.

"No. Only when I pay the rent will the lighting and electricity will come on I'm afraid." Gildarts let a small smile grace his face.

"How about I take you with me on a job. Lots of money…and it involves catching some fish, shouldn't be too hard. Could cover a few months' rent and give you plenty of money to stock up on food and other stuff." Coby turned towards Gildarts.

"How would fishing be enough to cover all of that?" Gildarts let a cheeky grin come up.

"Because it's an S-Class job of course!" He said it as if it were nothing. Coby's eyes went up.

"Wait…fishing is an S-class job? What are we catching?"

"The employer will tell us what we are hunting when we get to the city of Pickerel. From what I heard it's in southeastern Fiore in some woodland area."

"Are there any lakes?"

"One that was flooded recently and connected with another lake. Must have made a swamp around the city." Coby submerged until his nose was above water as he thought. Traveling with Gildarts and on an S-Class job could be beneficial.

"What's the reward for this 'Deadliest Catch' anyway?"

"10 million Jewels." Coby's jaw became slack. Split down two ways that was 5 million each! He could train for a while before going out on another job he'd be so well covered, or in this case, covered in dough!

"I'll do it! Thanks a ton Gildarts!" The auburn haired man gave him a smile.

"Don't mention it. I've been doing this since I was your age, I got enough money left over set aside for retirement when it comes around."

Coby looked towards the clock, and he stood up.

"Well I have to get going. Lisanna and me are going to-" He was cut off when his stomach growled. He hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast.

"Dinner I assume?"

"Yeah…well, when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. Meet me at the Guild Hall."

"Okay, thanks again. I owe you one." Gildarts nodded as Coby walked out of the tub and into the changing room, drying off and putting on his old clothes. Maybe they could head back to his apartment and he could change. He stood outside the ladies changing room.

"Hey Lisanna?"

"Yeah?" replied the young Take Over from behind the door. She must have got out when he did.

"Can we head back to my place before we head out to dinner? My treat."

"Sure! We can always eat dinner back at the Guild you know. It's cheaper!"

"Do they got shrimp?"

"Maybe." Coby nodded. He'd make do without shrimp for a night.

_15 minutes later._

"So how do I look…?"

"Great! Let's head to the guild!"

Coby gave a sigh of relief. This was the fourth outfit Lisanna had to choose for him since they got back to the apartment. It was a sleeveless white shirt and dark blue shorts hitting his knees. For whatever reason, he felt like some sort of doll or mannequin during the dress up. However, the new outfit actually helped facilitate Rokushiki, in contrast with his Marine attire, which was all long sleeved and hindered his movements. He remembered when he and the young Take Over sibling walked by a custom clothing store. Maybe, once he got the jewels needed, he could get his own long coat, with the kanji of "Justice" on the back, marking him as a proud Marine, even if they were not known. He still wore his bandanna and glasses on his forehead, covering his small scar.

"Okay then," he said as he opened up the door. His eyes widened as he looked out.

There was Mirajane, arms crossed and eye twitching. Erza, looking relieved. Natsu, rubbing his nose for whatever reason. And Laxus behind them all, hands in pockets.

"Hi Mira! Hi Natsu!" chirped Lisanna.

Coby began to stammer. "Uh…hey guys…what's up?"

"What's up?" asked Mirajane, closing her eyes. "You went off without telling us where you were going and didn't stay put that's 'what's up'. Do you have any idea how worried sick I was!"

"Coby, first I would like to apologize for my behavior today. I acted out of line and I was completely immature," apologized Erza, "as such, I want you to hit me! For punishment!" Coby turned towards Erza in shock as they all walked inside the home.

"What! I can't hit you!"

"But I-oh wait. Mira! You need to apologize too, to both Coby and to Lisanna." Lisanna quirked her head.

"For what? What did ya do Mira?" Mirajane's scowl deflated as she looked towards Coby and her younger sister.

"I'm sorry for how I acted today. I acted immature today, and I want to apologize. I just wanted to help clean your place, not make it into a verbal battleground," said the goth dejectedly. Both Coby and Lisanna turned towards each other then back at the girls.

"Verbal battleground?" they both said. Both rivals perked up.

"You didn't hear what we said?" asked the redhead.

"Well there was a lot of people around when I left…"

"Yeah, what Coby said for me too."

Mirajane gave a deep sigh of relief. They didn't know. Coby must have been too far out of reach for him to hear their exchange and Lisanna must have left after him and was too focused on him to care.

'_To think I kissed him to claim him, to send a message to Lisanna. I guess that didn't work then did it,'_ thought the goth, inwardly she was smiling while she still maintained her scowl.

"Well…we're sorry for acting out of line today, we won't blow up like that again," said Erza. She turned towards Mirajane. "Right?"

"Right..." Suddenly a massive growl cut the tension. It came from everybody's stomachs.

"We haven't had a chance to eat since breakfast…" pointed out Coby.

"Us too," agreed Laxus.

"Me and Prince were gonna go back to finish our date by going back to the Guild hall for dinner! Wanna join us?" offered Lisanna. Coby paled immediately when she said the word 'date'. He turned towards Mirajane, ready to receive some sort of abuse…

But it didn't come. She gave a sigh and shook her head.

"Whatever."

"I'm game," agreed Erza.

"Me too! I'm famished!" exclaimed Natsu.

"I guess that settles it," smiled Laxus. Coby gave a smile as they all walked out of the apartment and started towards the guild. Laxus was behind him, Erza and Mirajane to his right and left, and Natsu and Lisanna in front. Lisanna was telling Natsu of her adventure today, and the young pinkette was impressed judging by his facial expressions. The marine felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned towards Mirajane.

"Hey, thanks for watching and taking care of Lisanna for me…I can tell she had a lot of fun today," said the goth, her scowl still on her face. The marine gave a cheeky smile.

"No problem, if Lisanna ever needs a sitter, I'll be happy to oblige. Also, I thought you were gonna…you know…" he moved his fingers in a scissor motion. Mirajane scoffed.

"I can tell you did nothing perverted with Lisanna, and besides, when she found you, you stood by her and watched over her. Who knows what could have happened to her if she didn't find you? She's only 11 after all." She grabbed his hand and gave him what Coby could only describe as what could be an angel's smile. "You have my thanks, Coby..." She gave him a peck on the cheek, causing him to blush up a little.

Laxus couldn't help but feel happy for his best friend. By taking care of her little sister like a brother would, he may have taken down some of the defenses Mirajane had set up for superiority, from her rivalry with Erza, and by being the eldest sibling in her family.

Speaking of which, Laxus looked towards the redhead. She was looking at the pair with what could be described as a small tint of jealousy. He looked forwards toward where Lisanna and Natsu were walking, and Lisanna turned around gave Coby a wink. Thankfully neither Coby, Natsu, nor Mirajane noticed.

'_Congrats Coby, now you got yourself an unwanted harem. I'll wonder who'll win in the end…'_ thought the lightning mage as they walked underneath the orange hued sky towards Fairy Tail.

It was the end of day, and night would soon follow, with new challenges…

"You sure you didn't do anything perverted Coby?"

"Yes Mira I'm-"

"I helped Coby pick out clothes! How does he look Mira? He look good? I remember him having those undershorts Elfman wears, so I had the most trouble choosing which color he should wear," chirped Lisanna as she turned back to her conversation with Natsu.

Laxus shook his head as Coby yelped as he got his ear tweaked by the snarling and growling Take Over goth. Lisanna was still immersed in conversation, blissfully unaware to what was occurring behind her. And Erza was demanding that Mirajane stop abusing him. Commence old rivalry.

'_I guess some things never change…' _thought Laxus and Coby simultaneously.

**And that's chapter 7. Lisanna is now a legit competitor and Erza shows signs of jealousy. Mirajane goes full on Dere, before going back to Tsun in true Tsundere fashion.**

**I may have made them a bit OOC though, if I did, let me know I'll try and correct.**

**I have made my newest Naruto fic: Never Alone, which is a Kumo-Naruto fic that also shares the spotlight with Sasuke(who isn't going dark side as in canon). It's non-yaoi though, so no worries.**

**Next chapter will have Coby go on his next job, in which I discussed alot with my confidant and inspiration for this fic, Artful Lounger. I'm sure you'll know what's coming.**

**Chapter is edited, thanks to Juubi-K, 1 over 0, and myself.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. They belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda.**

Coby was drinking orange juice in the guild hall, remembering what had gone on the day before.

First: Cleaning out his apartment and bringing his girlfriend and guild-mate along.

Second: Tempers flaring between his girlfriend and guild-mate.

Third: Going on a date with his girlfriend's little sister for furniture and a stop at the town hot springs.

Fourth: Being offered to be brought along for a 10 million Jewel S-Class job along with who could possibly be one of the most unorthodox mages he has seen in his time in Earthland.

'_What a day that was,'_ he thought as he took a bite of his churro. Although it did end nicely with a peck on the lips from Mirajane and a decent dinner at the guild hall. After sating his appetite and sorting out his apartment, he'd gotten a nice rest in a comfy bed.

He took another swig of his beverage and looked at the clock in the hall, reading 11:00. Mirajane plopped down right next to him on one of the chairs, taking a bite of the same churro.

"So, I hear you're going on a job with Gildarts. That true?" she asked in a neutral tone. The marine turned towards her.

"Yeah. I need some money to pay off not only the rent, but also some other stuff as well. Like food, utilities, you know?" The goth nodded.

"How much is the pay?"

"10 million. Why?"

"Sorry to shake it to you but you're only getting a third of that cut. I'm coming with you," replied Mirajane. Coby raised his eyes.

"Why?" The silver haired girl scoffed.

"Have you forgotten, you twit? We're partners. I can't let you go off on your own. In order for me to pass the Trials, teamwork between partners is key. The longer we work together, the better our chances."

"You mean your chances right?"

"Don't get me wrong, this isn't all about me. If we do well and I pass, you'll probably be picked to be a S-class candidate as well for the next trials after this one. Not to mention you'll get better with experience." Coby looked touched. Mirajane was doing this so he could get stronger, too. He gave a warm smile towards the frowning girl.

"Mira…thanks…I never knew that-"

"Don't get the wrong idea! Besides, if I pass the trials and if you get selected there's a good chance you may fight me! And remember-" She turned towards him, scowl on her face. "This relationship is temporary, okay? I'm not doing this because I…" A bit of pink showed on her cheeks.

"You don't need to say anything Mira. I understand," smiled Coby as he went back to his drink, unaware of Mirajane blushing and staggering.

"Also, you got something on your nose," pointed out Coby. Mirajane felt her nose and gasped, her face entirely becoming pink as Coby took another sip. She turned away from him, doing _something_ to where the mark was and squealed, after which she convulsed a little. Coby looked on in curiosity and placed down his churro.

"You okay Mira?" asked the pinkette. The goth turned towards him, hand over her nose and face as pink as her boyfriend's hair.

"Of course I am…" she muttered underneath her hand. Coby nodded and reached for his churro's and both his and her eye's went up.

Both of their churros, which were both wrapped up, were next to each other and they looked exactly alike. Mirajane and Coby didn't remember where they placed it…

"Do you know which one is yours?" asked the marine.

"No clue."

"Okay then…" Coby reached for one, only for Mirajane to grab his hand.

"Hey!" she said in a high octave. She looked towards the marine, still blushing. "Let me check first…"

"Let me guess…women's intuition right?"

Mirajane didn't answer as she set the two treats side by side and inspected them. A minute passed. Then two. Then three.

"Can you tell or not?" asked Coby. Mirajane continued to inspect them, and Coby could have sworn that he saw her lip twitching.

"I said-"

"Okay I don't know alright!" she snapped, giving in and handing Coby the treat in her right hand.

"You take this one! And I'll take this one!" she muttered, turning away, her face still pink. "Jeez! Show some concern first! I mean either one of us could catch tuberculosis or some sickness if we ain't careful! You dumb idiot!"

"We have the same thing right?" responded the marine as he took a bite. The Take Over mage's face was now equivalent of Erza's, and her legs squirmed a little.

She had given Coby her churro. To any guild-member paying attention, she and Coby had just swapped spit residue. In other words, an indirect kiss.

'_Why do I feel funny…?' _she thought as she looked down to hide her flushed face under her bangs.

"What's up? You're acting quiet for some reason," pointed out the marine.

"Just shut up…" she muttered as she resumed her snack. The two resumed their meal in silence.

"So...what kind of job are you taking with the old guy?" asked Mirajane, breaking the awkward silence.

"Well...it's an S-Class job that involves fish if I remember correctly," responded Coby as he took a sip of his juice.

"Murklurker Catfish," said Gildarts as he appeared behind Coby, making the boy jump in surprise.

"Don't creep up on me like that!" Gildarts shrugged.

"So are you two packed? I assume that since Mirajane is your partner she's coming along, right?"

"Yeah, I'm coming. Can't let me boyfriend drown now can I?" joked Mirajane as she grabbed Coby's hand, who nodded dumbly.

"Uh...yeah. I'm packed." Gildarts nodded and turned towards Mirajane.

"I can finish packing in about 20 minutes. Meet up by the station?"

"Yup. Me and Coby will get in line." The Take Over mage nodded and ran off, leaving the auburn-haired man and the young pinkette.

"So you ready?" asked Gildarts.

Coby nodded with a grin. "You bet. I can't wait for that 3.3 million jewels!" Gildarts' face showed no such enthusiasm.

"If I were you I'd be wary. This is your first S-Class job and your second overall. Just stick with me and you'll be fine, okay?" Coby nodded.

"Understood. I'll get my things and meet you at the station." Gildarts nodded and walked away, going up the stairs and onto the second floor. Coby sighed.

"If I were you Coby," pointed out Makarov as he sat down nearby. "I'd put a leash on him."

Coby turned towards the dwarf.

"I get where you're coming from, but that..." he had the mental image him and Mirajane dragging Gildarts with a child pack, with a leash attached. The thought made the marine laugh and cover his mouth. Makarov smiled cheekily.

"I know, funny right? But in all seriousness, make sure Gildarts stays on the right path, and also..." Makarov looked towards Coby with concern. "Be careful. The Murklurker Catfish is a very smart, and dangerous species of fish."

"What do you know about them?" They surely couldn't be as dangerous as Sea Kings, right?

"Well for one their habitats consist of swamps and murky water environments, hence their given name. But also, they are incredibly fast underwater and they know when to run away when the danger gets tough. But their most dangerous asset other than their small sharp teeth and intelligence is their whiskers."

"Go on..."

"Their long whiskers are their primary weapon used against their prey or foes. The whiskers have small tiny barbs the size of a nail and-"

"Wait, a nail? How big are these guys?" Makarov pointed towards one of the tables.

"That table over there?"

"That's how big the babies are."

Coby gulped.

"And they eat humans right?"

Makarov nodded.

"Yes, and within their barbs is a strong paralyzing poison, which they use to stun their prey and consume them."

Coby nodded. These catfish were big, nowhere near as big as a Sea King thankfully. But whereas a Sea King was a giant berserker, this Murklurker was much more dangerous due to greater speed and their poison. One scratch, and you'd be incapacitated, a floating target for the waiting jaws. If they were as intelligent as Makorov said, they'd use this to their advantage.

He took another drink and waited for his companions.

* * *

Gildarts walked up the stairs, surprisingly not colliding with any of the walls and destroying them, and walked into the S-class Request Lobby on the second floor. He saw Laxus standing over by the job board, looking at some of the jobs. Gildarts strolled by next to him to pick up the flyer, which depicted a town with a swamp in the background, with the big bold letters "HELP US!" on the top and the description and pay reward on the bottom.

"So, how's it going?" asked Gildarts in a neutral tone. Laxus didn't respond, continuing to look at the board, ignoring Gildarts.

"You know," said Gildarts, looking away and down into the guild hall below. "He's never coming back. You know that."

"You think I don't know that already," snarled Laxus, still staring away from Gildarts.

"Why do you still think there's hope in him? You saw the warning signs: his behavior, his manner of speech, the disappearance of your-"

"Don't say it!" snapped the blonde as he turned his head towards the auburnette, teeth bared. Gildarts remained calm as he looked down at the guild hall, seeing Mirajane interact with Coby and Makarov.

"You know, there are some similarities. He's got some of her personality traits. Is that why you're comfy with him being your friend?" Laxus still looked at the board, but his eyes were closed.

"I see Coby as a good friend and a good comrade. Nothing more."

"He is. He isn't as wild as most of our guild is, but I think that's necessary for us really. We need a few sane heads to keep us insane monkeys in line."

"Don't associate me with the rest of you," muttered Laxus as he took a request sheet and walked away towards the second entrance leading to the back of the guild hall.

"Give Coby my luck. I'll be back."

"Will do." Gildarts turned towards Laxus' retreating back. He opened his mouth, but no words came out, but instead a sigh. He took the request sheet and walked down the stairs.

"Gildarts." A voice from behind the auburnette made him stop. He knew who it was, so he didn't turn his head.

"You'll keep an eye on him right? Every day I fear that he'll turn out just like Ivan. Please let me know if he does anything. Makarov may be a bit too soft."

"I will." replied the voice. Gildarts nodded and walked down the stairs.

The cloaked Mystogan walked out of the shadows and went to the back entrance, keeping his word. He stopped by and looked down at Gildarts blowing apart some tables on his way to meet Coby and Mirajane. The two young ones reprimanded him, and the older man chuckled, although that turned to horror when Mirajane got some sort of choker or a leash around his neck and tugged him out of the hall, a nervous Coby following. The enigma walked away and onto the back entrance.

* * *

The trio sat upon the train, Gildarts straining with his collar.

"Why do you have to do this?" he asked. Mirajane had her arms crossed as she held the leash.

"Once we get to Pickerel Town I'll undo your leash. No way am I being responsible for your lack of direction. You know how much we were charged for damages you caused?" The goth glared through narrowed eyes at the older man.

"I pay for the damages though!"

"Well you give us a bad rep, now pipe down before I make you!" Gildarts growled and went back to reading a magazine, grumbling as he did. Coby watched the entire spectacle with slight amusement before turning to the outside world, which had slowly begun to move away from Magnolia station and onto the countryside.

"Hey Gildarts."

"Yeah Coby?

"How long is it to Pickerel?"

"Few hours, we'll be there before the sun sets. It's a good thing that the railroad was unaffected by the swamp in Pickerel otherwise we would have been in big trouble."

"Like how?" asked Mirajane as she snuggled up next to the marine.

"Well the job description is this: The recent monsoons in far western Fiore has made the several lakes nearby Pickerel to overflow, thus creating a swamp-like environment around the town. While the railroad was spared due to the line being elevated, all of the normal roads were flooded out, and the water is about..." He looked at the flyer. "About three to five feet, perfect for the Murklurker Catfish to hunt in."

"I take it that the Murklurker was from one of the lakes that overflowed, right?"

"Give the newbie a prize. The fish traveled beyond its boundaries and started to prey on boats trying to travel from Pickerel to higher land."

"Let me guess, the Catfish is fast enough to hop out of the water, tackle a boat passenger into the water, poison them with it's whiskers, and drag them away as they drowned right?" asked Mirajane.

"Correct. The situation is dire for the town because there may be another storm next week, and this time the water will seep into Pickerel due to increased elevation, and that means the fish will prey on children this time. That's where we come in. Our job is to hunt down this family of fish so that the townspeople can build a canal to run off the swamp water and hopefully decrease the elevation levels before the storm comes. If it does come and if that canal ain't built in time, the woodland may become a permanent swamp."

Coby took this in and nodded.

"Well, once we get there we better get to work fast. We have 7 days to hunt down who knows how many of these monsters and the townspeople need our help." Coby had determination blazing in his eyes. "Let's give the grieving families and the town justice by taking down these beasts before anyone else gets hurt." Gildarts smiled and nodded.

"Well said kid. For now let's just rest, and then once we hit Pickerel, we hit the ground running." That being said, he started to doze off. Coby felt Mirajane rest her head on his shoulder.

"Same as before, move and you get it. Understand?" Her scowl fell on Coby, who nodded.

"Yeah, I understand." He placed an arm around the goth, who stiffened up and blushed. Normally she would have protested but considering that they were "boyfriend" and "girlfriend", she let it slide. She gave out a sigh.

"What's up?" asked Coby as Mirajane scooted closer to him, close enough for her to feel his heartbeat.

"Nothing..."

And before long the trio dozed off, all of them knowing of the danger that lurked ahead around the town of Pickerel.

**Short chapter I know, but this is for building up for the next chapter or two come.**

**Idea for the Catfish job goes to Artful Lounger, back when I used to pester him. Now I'm not anymore and after this job, I'm doing more original jobs so you need not worry.**

**We get some Mirajane development, sorry for those interested for more Erza but don't worry, I may have her and Coby go on a job once or twice in the future. And once again, pairing isn't set in stone until like, where Fantasia arc would be, then we would have a clear picture on who may win.**

**And my apologies for such a late update too. My Naruto fic is doing decent popularity wise and I love the idea I made for it (and original take on a GoodSasuke and KumoNaruto) and I can't ignore my fans of Words Without a Voice, my first legit fanfic here.**

**Beta'ed by 1 over 0 and Juubi-K.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. They belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda.**

The train lumbered through the forests of western Fiore. Coby stared out the window as the train steamed on, remarking facts about the area they were passing through. As they progressed the topsoil became increasingly muddy, and after a certain point puddles started to appear, growing larger and larger. Coby eventually noticed that the train tracks were actually built on a ridge of land raised above the rest, elevating them above the ground that continued becoming increasingly swamp-like.

"How much longer?" he asked. Gildarts looked up from his copy of _Weekly Sorcerer_.

"Half hour, an hour tops," he responded nonchalantly. Coby nodded and looked down at the napping Mirajane, still leaning on him. Gildarts smiled a bit.

"It's funny how someone like her can fall for a guy like you," mused the auburn haired man. Coby quirked an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your personalities. They're on completely different ends of the spectrum. You're the kind, somewhat shy kind, and you can't hold your liquor worth squat."

"Gee, thanks." The marine rolled his eyes.

"On the other hand, Mirajane is hot-blooded and rude. She's not afraid to say what she wants, and can really hold it down well despite her age."

"Well in my world the drinking age is like 17. Excuse me but I'm technically still a minor and so is she."

"Oh, so what? Someone a year or two under the prescribed age drinks a bit. Lighten up. Youngsters do what they're told not to because it's an adventure for them."

"We have those laws in place to protect them, not encourage them."

"You don't object to Lisanna taking a shot every now and then." The strongest mage got a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Or do you like her?" Coby rolled his eyes again.

"As a friend, and I suppose you can say as a sister. I never had one back in my world." He continued to stare out the window, thinking back on the memories of his old world, his friends and his family. Coby started looking as downcast as the dreary sky, which did not go undetected by the older mage.

"Miss your old world? Ours not good enough for ya?" he joked.

"Don't get me wrong. The magic I've seen here and at the guild is amazing, and this world is so peaceful compared to mine, it's like a utopia."

"Piracy was that bad, huh?"

"Oh yeah. That's the downside of having most of the world covered by the ocean. You got one central landmass and a crapton of islands. It's almost impossible to control."

"What's the continent?"

"It's called the Red Line, a long continent that stretches across the entire world, from North to South, along the Prime Meridian. It's the one central land mass that separates all the other blues."

"Explain more," groaned Mirajane, stretching as she woke but not budging from Coby's side.

"Well…our world is like a grid. Going down the middle top-to-bottom is the Red Line, our only continent. Going right-to-left would be the Grand Line. This separates the North, South, East, and West Blue seas."

"So the Grand Line is another continent?" asked Gildarts.

"No. The Grand Line is another section of the ocean. What separates the Grand Line from the Blues other than the Red Line would be the Calm Belts on the north and south ends , which are home to giant Sea Kings due the lack of currents."

"Thus, perfect to lay eggs and become a breeding a ground. How big are these _Sea Kings?_"

Coby looked outside the train, gazing at some of the hills. The ground was now submerged by shallow water, about a foot deep. They were getting close. Coby couldn't find a reasonable size comparison so he guessed.

"You know the guild hall? About two to three times its size, maybe bigger."

Mirajane's eyes went up and Gidlarts smiled.

"Territorial and aggressive too?"

"That's an understatement."

"Man, I wish we had Sea Kings here in Earthland. Business for people wanting them dead would be booming," chuckled the auburn haired man. He looked out the window, seeing the change in scenery. The landscape was that of a swamp now; the water was higher and murkier, and the marine could see an alligator swimming through the water. But he'd taken on scarier foes.

And there was an even more dangerous predator out there besides some water lizard.

The trio walked out of the station and into the town of Pickerel. Unlike Magnolia, Pickerel had an ominous feeling floating over the town, and the people hurried to and from their business and errands. One could almost sense that some sort of guillotine was hanging over the entire town.

"Wow, these people are worried. Not nearly like the residents back at Zakuro," murmured Coby.

"More than likely, if the dam isn't complete or if the squad of Murklurkers isn't exterminated, they'll be expecting some full coffins any day now. For who, they don't know. That is what's frightening for them." Gildarts pulled out the job flyer. "We are to meet up at City Hall to get briefed. After that, we can go fishing. Does that sound good?"

Coby and Mirajane nodded and led the way for the auburn haired man to follow.

Over the next few hours the mages (plus one martial artist) were briefed by the Mayor and Police commissioner. The Murklurkers only attacked those in the water, either swimming or in a boat. A dozen were already dead, and several more were in the hospital being treated for poison contracted from the barbells, the whisker-like organs near the fish's mouth. They were covered in needles that were in turn covered in a paralyzing poison. After getting briefed, the mages placed their belongings at the hotel and went towards the edge of town, where a makeshift dock stood. Coby could see past the trees to what seemed to be a dam under construction in the distance.

"So, we know they will lurk around people's boats, so technically, we are the fisherman and the bait," mused the goth as they got onto the boat and Coby started rowing. Gildarts sat close by, while Mirajane stood.

"Yep. They jump up to tackle their prey into the water, and during the struggle, the barbs on the whiskers will deliver their payload," explained Gildarts. "Even if the water is only three to four feet deep, we won't stand a chance if we try to fight them in the water, so we have to catch one when it jumps out at us. If we can get one and kill it, we can deliver the poison to the hospital and they can produce an anti-venom."

"First one is always the hardest," added Coby as he rowed. Gildarts stood up and started looking around in the water.

"You should be careful Gildarts, standing on a boat is bad and you can make us capsize," said the marine worryingly. Gildarts gave him a smile.

"Trust me, I'm fine. I've been on jobs more dangerous. Besides, I'm not going to get killed by some fi-" There was a massive splash, and Gildarts whipped around to deliver a punch to the face of the fish trying to jump him from behind. The massive fish soared until it slammed into a tree. It gave a kind of guttural roar of pain before it splashed back into the water. Coby and Mirajane's mouths were agape in shock and awe.

"Mangy catfish," spat Gildarts, his smile gone. The two teenagers sprang up and the three arranged themselves in a circle so as to watch all sides for attack. Mirajane looked worried.

"Was that the-"

"Murklurker? Yes, and judging by its size and boldness a juvenile."

"Juvenile? That big?" said Mirajane incredulously.

"The adults would go for a more subtle approach. That one was a juvenile, no doubt about it."

The goth turned towards the marine, whose eyes scanned the water for any movement.

"You don't seem too worried about this," she said dryly.

"I've been on warships battling the likes of Sea Kings. Some catfish isn't gonna scare me," he said with confidence.

"Once we see the mother, you'll be worried Coby, I can assure you of that," said the cloaked man. The boat's occupants stood back-to-back-to-back, scanning the dirty moss-covered water for any sort of movement.

Coby's scalp tingled. He couldn't place it exactly, but he was getting a mysterious feeling...as if...he were looking into eyes filled with hatred...

Hatred? Killing intent?

His eyes were looking at one spot, and he saw a small bubble rise up from the moss.

He saw it in his mind, a dark fish leaping out of the water, mouth open, right where he was…

"_Rankyaku!"_

And he jumped and kicked, the blue air blade slicing into the water, shocking the other occupants. At that time, another large splash occurred. Another of the large juvenile Murklurkers jumped up, mouth open to reveal its small, razor-sharp teeth the size of fingernails. It was greenish brown in color, making it blend in with the swamp water, and its two long whiskers bristled with spines.

Poison spines.

Mirajane already transformed into _Satan Soul_ and had her claws glowing with dark energy. She fired a dark energy ball at the incoming fish and it sent the fish flying, once again hitting a tree and falling back into the water. The boat rocked for a moment due to the sudden movement, but slowly came back to a standstill. There was no sound save for the occasional frog croaking and flies buzzing and their breathing. Coby kept his eye on the spot he fired a _Rankyaku_ at.

His vigilance was rewarded when something massive rose to the surface.

It was a dead Murklurker Catfish, a massive cut on its face as if something slashed the face with a sword. It lay belly up on the water's surface. The marine felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned and saw Gildarts smiling down on him.

"Atta kid." Coby smiled as Mirajane returned to normal.

"So, we gonna drag this overgrown goldfish carcass back to town right?" asked the goth.

"Yep. The barbells are still intact, so if we can get the carcass to the Hospital, the doctors can make anti-venom for the afflicted and for us as well."

"In case one of us gets struck by the nails right?" Coby rowed the boat closer to the dead fish.

"Correct," answered the older man as he and the marine grabbed the massive fish, avoiding its long barbells, and hoisting it onto the boat.

"What if they come back though? The flyer said they have a good deal of intelligence so they may want payback for the death of their sibling," said Mirajane.

"They may be juveniles and bold, but they are not stupid. They'll stay away; the blood in the water has already let them know they've lost one of their own. The smart choice is to stay away. Let's just row back to town." Gildarts grabbed the oars while the other two squished back, the enormous fish taking up their space. Gildarts was at one end of the boat rowing, the fish's tail right in front, and the couple at the other, with the head dangling past them at the head of the boat.

"Three minutes dead and it already smells," groaned Mirajane as she clamped her nose. Even Gildarts seemed a bit disgusted with the odor. However, Coby didn't seem affected by the smell at all. Mirajane turned towards him.

"How can you stand that smell? It's decaying fish brains," said the goth nasally.

"In the Marines, one of the jobs tasked to grunts like me is to hoist up nets full of fish, cut off their heads, and deliver them to the kitchen. Just another step in the process of creating enough food for a hundred sailors."

"You say you're a grunt?"

Coby nodded to his girlfriend's question.

"Yep. There's at least a dozen, maybe two dozen, more ranks above me, and the people who are at those ranks are much stronger than me by decades, maybe centuries."

"Who are these people? Admirals or something?" asked Gildarts.

"Yeah. There's the Vice-Admirals, one of them my teacher, who can command an armada on their own and can fight on par with New World pirates, and then there's the Greatest Military Powers, the strongest fighting force within the Marines. The 3 Admirals." Coby said this with pride as he discussed his former dream.

"Greatest Military Powers huh? They sound strong," acknowledged Gildarts.

"Strong is an understatement. From what I heard, they can make New World pirates tremble in fear, and they alone can defeat whole armies on their own! It wouldn't be surprised if they were the most powerful men in the world, outside of the most terrifying of New World pirates and the Yonkou. My world that is."

"Amazing. Do you know their powers?" asked the older man. Coby turned his head and saw the town coming into view amongst the bog. He shook his head.

"I only know one of the Admiral's powers, and I've only been in the Marines for about six months or so. But I do know that their nicknames have to do with their powers. The Admiral I know of is Admiral Aokiji, whose extremely lazy and uses an Ice Akuma no Mi, and then there's Admiral Kizaru, and Admiral Akainu."

Gildarts nodded with a smile. "Man, it would be great to visit your world one day, Coby. It sounds re-"

"Okay we're here, history lesson's over, let's just turn in the friggin' carcass before my sense of smell is killed forever, okay!" snarled Mirajane. Coby jumped while Gildarts chuckled. The dock was in site…

"Yeah yeah, of course. Coby, once this job is done can you tell me more about-" He was interrupted by a large splash. One of the catfish, one with a red bruise on its face, tackled Gildarts off the boat and into the water, its mouth clamped onto his side, dragging him down into the water. Mirajane and Coby jumped to their feet in shock.

"Gildarts!"

"Old man!"

The water splashed as Gildarts wrestled with the predatory fish. Gildarts grunted, while the fish roared gutturally. The two rolled back and forth in the water, Gildarts trying to avoid the barbed whiskers that flailed everywhere.

Coby struggled with his desire to help his friend. If he jumped in, he would likely get hit by the whiskers and become a liability. He could fire a _Rankyaku,_ but he could hit this comrade by mistake. He ground his teeth angrily in his inability to help. Judging by the look on Mirajane's face, she was having similar thoughts. Suddenly, Gildarts flung the creature into the air and he stood up straight. He turned towards Mirajane and Coby.

"Kill that sonuvabitch!" he yelled. Mirajane transformed into her She-Devil form and her clawed hands glowed blackish purple. Coby braced both of his legs. Both Fairy Tail members glared down the airborne catfish. If it was able to casually withstand a punch from the strongest mage in Fairy Tail…

"_Darkness Stream!"_

"_Rankyaku: Hakurai!"_

A flurry of dark hands and the larger and whiter air blade soared to and collided with the catfish. Its remains fell into the water, its blood and organs tainting the muddy swamp red.

Without turning his head, Coby was able to tell from the cheering that they'd drawn quite a bit of attention. They were cheering the death of one of the beasts that had plagued the village. He turned again towards Gildarts as he waded in the water and climbed aboard the boat, being careful neither to capsize it nor lose their prize. Gildarts was breathing faintly for some reason and he looked a bit pale.

The marine knew why instantly.

"He got you!" Coby gasped. He grabbed the oars and starting rowing as fast as he could for shore. The auburn haired man gave a small smile as he reached around his back and picked out what appeared to be small spines, the poison spines of the catfish's whiskers, and threw them into the swamp.

"It's nothing. I've been poisoned several times in the past. It will take more than this to-"

He coughed, lifting his hand to his mouth as he gagged. Both teenagers paled when they noticed spurts of red liquid in his right hand. Mirajane stood up and waved towards the now-silent crowd on the docks.

"We need a doctor! Our friend's been poisoned! Someone help us!"

**And that's chapter 10. I wanted it to be longer but I didn't want to force myself, mainly because I had to do finals over the last week during the time I was writing (May 16-May 21) and playing some WoW.**

**I based the Murklurker Catfish off of the Wels Catfish in case some people have not noticed. I hope the description and the small fights I've instilled in have met your liking Artful. I made the one who attacked Gildarts the one that was punched out so it came back for payback (they are juvenile after all, but it was still able to make out Gildarts' face in the water).**

**And recent FT chapters may make Cana a likely contender for Coby's heart in the future. But like I said, "likely".**

**Next chapter will be longer, as it will/may contain the conclusion of the Pickerel job.**

**In case some of you readers happen to be fans of TTGL, Naruto, Pokemon, or Shiki feel free to read my other fics.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K and 1 over 0.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

Coby and Mirajane waited in uneasy silence in the lobby of the Pickerel clinic. Although they had managed to retrieve the anti-venom, the poison from the barbs that had struck Gildarts during his tussle in the swamp with the Murklurker Catfish was still a threat, and he had yet to stabilize.

Coby grit his teeth. For some reason or other, he had been able to know, or feel, when the catfish was about to strike. Though it was now very dead and currently being analyzed scientifically, the memory bugged him. It was odd, and a similar memory from his fight with Youbara kept bugging him...

_Coby landed, only to have to jump away to avoid an incoming thorn root. He landed on the ground in a heap, when suddenly, he saw himself being crushed by another thorn root within his mind..._

The same thing had happened, though more recently it had been accompanied with a tingle in the back of his head. What could it be? Was he developing some sort of magic? And why hadn't he been able to sense the other catfish that struck Gildarts? If it was the same Murklurker that had been punched into a tree, then it had attacked out of revenge. So why hadn't he sensed that one?

"Hey Mira?" The goth turned towards him, a frown on her face and her arms crossed.

"What?"

"Is it possible that I...umm…might be a mage?"

Mirajane's eyebrow quirked.

"Why?"

"Well…I was just curious. How do you become a mage anyway?"

"You don't _become_ one, you _are_ a mage when you are born. You don't gain magic at all if you're a non-magical person."

"Oh, I see…well, is it possible that I might have some sort of odd ability?"

"What are you talking about, idiot?"

"Well, it happened twice, once back in Zakuro and here in Pickerel. I could have sworn that…" He paused, trying to choose the right words.

"That what? Spill the beans, dummy."

"That I could see into the future…"

There was another silence.

Then Mirajane started to laugh. Coby frowned.

"I'm serious! It's what helped me avoid that root from crushing me and it's what helped me find that fish that they're using to make the anti-venom!" Mirajane placed a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter.

"Oh man...precognition magic…good one…as if magic like that is real. And you yourself said when we first met that your Rokushiki is not magic, but martial arts. Is this 'future sight'..." she put air quotes around the words "...some sort of Rokushiki skill?"

Coby shook his head.

"Then there you have it. Back in Zakuro you dodged because it was logical, and this time you probably saw a small bubble rising up and got a lucky guess. Not everyone here in Earthland is a mage, only about ten percent of the population. And since your world apparently is filled with evil broccoli and crap law enforcement instead of mages, no, you don't have magic."

"Hey! The Marines have been overwhelmed! Did you know that one in every six males becomes a pirate by the age of nineteen? And despite only having one continent we still have a large population!" The marine defended his world passionately. Mirajane shrugged.

"Geez, touchy. And you why do you care anyway? You've given up on finding a way back, right?"

Coby looked away, downcast.

"I know, but…" Thoughts rose up in his mind of his smiling parents, the always-smirking Helmeppo, the guffawing Garp…

The smiling and laughing Luffy…

"I still miss them…I miss my friends…my old comrades." He turned towards Mirajane, actually angry. "I miss my parents! Is that so wrong for a 14-year-old boy! Huh!" His outburst caused some heads to turn. Coby quickly checked his breathing and stopped the tears that threatened to pour out of his eyes.

"If it's a case of homesickness then I can understand, but in some cases…" Mirajane sat down on a bench and clasped her hands, looking down. "It's better to just let go and keep the memories of what you cherished with them…"

Coby was about to retort until he saw the Take Over mage's face, one of pure understanding, despite her small frown.

"You lost your parents too, huh?"

She nodded. "They were taken away from me, like how you were taken away from them. I would rather not talk about it…"

Coby nodded and sat down.

"Sorry for yelling. Boyfriends aren't supposed to yell at their loved ones right?" Mirajane now blushed and looked towards him.

"Well-uh-umm you see as…what?"

"Girlfriends are the loved ones of boyfriends, right? That means you are one to me." Mirajane stood solid as a statue, her face red, touched by what the marine had said. She turned her face away to avoid embarrassment and huffed.

"Well…um…some guys gotta blow some steam right! I mean, I do that too, I admit that! You've been really quiet and have been bottling all that up! It's not healthy you know…" She closed her eyes. "Idiot…" Now she felt a weight on her right side. It was Coby, leaning on her.

"How do Elfman and Lisanna handle it…not having parents I mean," he said quietly. There was a change in the mood immediately.

"Lisanna was too young to remember. I just tell her that mom and dad left us…and Elfman does cry at night sometimes…"

She felt a hand on her left shoulder.

"I guess you guys got off easy…you have siblings…and you know what happened to your parents…as for me, an only child…" The marine's eyes tingled a little as he felt a hand upon his clenched fist in his lap.

"If you want, even after this relationship ends between us…me, Elfman, and Lisanna too, we can help you. You're not alone."

Coby closed his eyes and smiled ruefully.

"It's not just that. I will be labeled as MIA, and my parents won't know what happened me. Just disappeared at sea…all thanks to that man…" Rue and sadness was replaced by bitter anger, aimed at the sound of a 'Zehahahaha!' resounding within his mind as his hands clenched even tighter.

"Hey, Coby…" The marine turned and saw a male nurse walking in their direction. They stood up.

"How is he?" asked Mirajane. The head nurse looked at his clipboard.

"Well, Mr. Clive has some venom antibodies in his system to repel some of the poison at first, and with our anti-venom injected, he should be up and walking just fine in a few days." The two teenagers gave sighs of immense relief.

"However, he needs to stay in bed and let the anti-venom do it's job. The more he moves, the less potent the anti-venom would be." Coby nodded in understanding.

"Can we see him?"

The nurse shook his head.

"He's still asleep, but when he was awake when we were injecting the anti-venom he told us to tell you to continue the hunt." Coby and Mirajane blinked and the former gulped.

"Alright…we understand. Thank you very much for helping our friend." Coby bowed, as did the nurse, and he left to go about his business.

"So…we'll need to hunt more of those things…on our own…without Gildarts' help," said the marine.

"We could just wait for him to get back on his feet if you want," offered Mirajane. Coby shook his head and walked outside, his girlfriend following close behind.

"Look at them." He pointed his hand towards the townspeople, who seemed scared and worried as dark clouds started to gather.

"The people here are scared out of their wits. At least we were able to give them the anti-venom." He turned, seeing another group of people carrying an ailing person. He could see his shirt stained bloody red and heard the anguished screams.

"They ate him! Those monsters ate Smith! They ripped him to shreds!" He howled as the people carried him to the hospital. Mirajane was wide eyed, and Coby solemn.

"But anti-venom can only do so much. And there have already been quite a number of deaths at the hands of those monsters. We need to give this town the justice it deserves, and we can only do that by hunting down every last one of them down." Mirajane nodded in agreement.

"You know…if I was guessing, you're treating those catfish like pirates aren't you?" Coby turned, his face dark as he remembered his many clashes with pirates during his short career as a marine.

"These beasts can identify faces, can possibly coordinate strategy, survive by killing others, and are capable of painful agonizing death…if they were humans I would have no qualms with them being gunned down, beheaded, or hunted like mangy dogs." Mirajane stood silently, her face in shock at her boyfriend's dark words. For some odd reason or other, she didn't know whether to be grateful to be born in Earthland, devoid of pirates. Or whether she should be slightly afraid of the boy…no…young man standing in front of her.

And then his stomach growled.

"I'm hungry…"

Mirajane growled in annoyance, hitting the boy on the head.

"Give me some warning you mood-changing dolt! Geez…" Coby rubbed the back of his head.

"Can we go get shrimp?"

"What's with you and shrimp? Don't tell me you're not sick of them after eating _that_ much back in Zakuro?"

"No. I like shrimp."

"Geez...your gut has a one-track mind. But I got no other idea where I wanna eat so I guess it's seafood tonight." The pink-haired boy smiled.

"Awesome! I wonder if they got jambalaya, or Cajun, or deep friend, or sautéed or grilled?" The marine headed off down the road, the silver haired girl right by his side.

'_You know…for someone who seems like an idiot, you've been through quite a bit. Like the rest of us back in Fairy Tail.' _Mirajane mused on her companion, who was sounding off different types of shrimp, mentioning bacon-wrapped multiple times.

'_I can see why Master invited you into Fairy Tail. It wasn't just your abilities. Maybe it was your drive for justice while at the same time being kind, all while having a rough upbringing, being a child soldier and all…'_

"And barbeque slathered shrimp and cheese fondue shrimp and-"

'_I think, even if you are not a magical person...' _Mirajane now smiled. '_You'll fit in with the rest of us at Fairy Tail just fine._'

"Amd lettuce wrapped shrimp and Habanero shrimp and-"

'_After all, that stripper brat Gray did say one time that a Guild is not just a group of magical people, it's a - did he just say Habanero?'_

"You're serious, right?" she said aloud.

Coby turned towards Mirajane in confusion.

"Habaneros are some of the spiciest things on the earth! How can you like them?"

"It's still shrimp. What's wrong with that?"

"Habaneros are 40 times hotter than a jalapeno! Even Natsu can't stand a Habanero and he _loves _spicy food! Hell he even downs Tabasco alone, like, chugs it in the bottle!"

The marine's eyes went up.

"Wow…" Then he smiled again. "I wonder if he can charbroil and sauté shrimp in Tabasco. Can he?"

"He can't cook to save his life…"

"Well I guess I can then!" He giggled a little, and Mirajane sighed, shaking her head and smiling.

_'And while he's still a shrimp obsessed idiot…he's _my_ shrimp obsessed idiot...'_

* * *

The next day, Coby walked along the makeshift pier that connected Pikerel to the dam. The night before had consisted of him spending nearly a quarter of his wages on a large shrimp supper, with Mirajane just ordering some clam chowder. How a woman could not understand shrimp's versatility, taste, and glory was beyond him.

After dinner they spent the night at the hotel, confident in the doctor's ability to care for Gildarts. When they woke up and had breakfast they visited Gildarts to see how he was holding up. He was doing fine, judging by the funny grin on his face. After some chatting, the auburn haired man told them to stick to the docks and protect the dam workers from the Murklurkers. Other than that, he warned them to be extra cautious dealing with the monsters now that he wasn't around.

'_A day has gone by and we've killed two of them. How many more of those things are out there?_' thought the marine to himself. The next storm would roll into Pickerel in five to six days. If something wasn't done, there would only be more death...

Coby sat down by the dock's edge, gazing out into the swamp that surrounded the town, and the men working on the dam nearby. He let his feet dangle, swaying to and fro. He knew it was a bad idea, but he was bait after all.

And if he could just get another of those beasts…

"Hey, what are you doing with your legs like that?" asked a familiar voice. Coby turned, seeing Mirajane standing behind him with her arms crossed.

"Being bait."

"Were you not paying attention to what Gildarts said? He said for us to be extremely cautious. If those catfish are as intelligent as he makes them out to be, then they won't fall for the same tricks for very long."

"Yeah, but would they pass up the chance for a meal, who happened to be swaying his legs out like a free example platter? Hunger can overcome logic."

Mirajane shrugged.

"I talked to Gildarts again. He wants us to get on a boat and patrol around the dam. There might be another attack today."

Coby nodded. "Sure thing Mira-" Suddenly from within his mind, he felt that tingle again, and saw a massive splash right below him, and a maw of sharp teeth…

"_GEPPOU!" _Coby jumped the air in an instant, flying over a dozen meters, right before that very same splash happened and a Murklurker's head exploded out of the water, jaws snapping at where the marine's legs had previously been.

"_Rankyaku: Ran!" _Coby's legs blurred as a flurry of air blades soared into the dock ledge and the water. The Murklurker fell back into the water and swam away fast, avoiding the blue air blades. Coby fell back on the dock, but a sharp pain lanced through his legs and he staggered and fell to a knee. He clutched his legs, taking deep, heavy breaths.

Everything had happened so fast, it took Mirajane a moment to calculate what exactly had actually happened.

"Coby are you okay?" She rushed over and helped him up.

"I'll live…" he groaned. Instinct had reacted faster than logic and used two of his most draining Rokushiki techniques. He didn't even leap that high back in Zakuro, so his leg muscles were developing, but still, to be this weak after a _Geppou_ and a _Rankyaku: Ran_ meant he needed to continue training.

"Did I get him?" panted the marine. Mirajane inspected the water.

"I don't see any carcasses…he must have gotten away." Coby bit his lip. He had never allowed pirates to escape his grasp back in his world, and he didn't plan on breaking his record just because he was in a new world. The cultists had only gotten away because he hadn't cared about them, and Youbara had gotten his just desserts.

But for one of those monsters to get away…he felt frustrated, and slammed his fast onto the wooden floor beside him. It broke straight through, causing Mirajane to jump.

"Can you fight them while I row?" asked the marine. Mirajane recovered her composure.

"Yeah…but what about you? Shouldn't you like, rest?"

"That one will be back to prey on the workers. If you can kill them while I row, we can protect them."

Mirajane nodded, but deep down she was nervous. Gilarts was incapacitated for the moment and Coby was worn out after nearly getting mauled by the Murklurker. Now it fell to her, and her alone to defend against the massive predator catfish.

She shook her head. '_Get a grip Mira! You're a candidate for the S-Class mage trials! You can do this! After all, you'll be doing jobs like this in the future!'_

"But if you stay on the boat, you'll be an easy target for them. You saw how one of those things got Gildarts off the boat," said the Take Over mage.

"I said I'll be fine! Now…" He slowly got up, limping painfully towards a nearby dingy. "Let's go fishing then, shall we?" Mirajane bit her lower lip but nodded, trotting behind her boyfriend and helping him onto the boat. Coby grabbed the oars and rowed towards the dam, Mirajane sitting across from him.

"Are you sure that-"

"I'll be okay!" snapped Coby.

"If it's because you let that thing get away, relax. We'll find it and kill it eventually. You gotta keep a clear head."

Coby stared down at the bottom of the boat, remembering an old quote from one of his Marine instructors.

"_It's always exemplary to be passionate in combat, but it's an acme to keep a cool head while in the most heated battle."_

Coby let loose a deep sigh. "Sorry…I've never let evil pirates escape me. That monster getting away from me was a first and I got frustrated."

"It's fine. How did you know that the Murklurker was coming?"

"It happened again…that future sight happened again." The goth's eyes rose up.

"That can't be, though. There has been no record of magic that gives precognition, especially to a non-magical person. Mind reading magic I've heard of, but future sight? There's no way."

"I'm telling you it's true! I sensed that Murklurker coming and-" And he sensed it again, another tingle and saw massive splash behind him…

"It's behind me!" He ducked as Mirajane's hands morphed into animalistic claws, crackling with blue electricity. Right on cue, there was a massive splash, and a Murklurker jumped out of the water, maw opened wide.

"_Evil Spark!" _Her hardened devil claws collided with the fish, causing it flail helplessly before the blue lightning exploded, sending the massive fish several meters before landing on another boat nearby. The construction workers gasped in awe.

"Believe me now!" yelled Coby, his head still tucked between his knees. They could hear the fish's guttural roars of pain as it flailed about on the small boat. "Finish it Mira!" Mirajane nodded dumbly and completed her Take Over of _Satan Soul_, her reptilian claws glowing purple, a dark energy ball forming.

"Take this!" she yelled and fired at the boat, causing it to explode. The workers and the townspeople who seemed to have taken notice cheered loudly when they saw several pieces of the Murklurker rise up, the brown water mixing with the red blood.

"Okay then…" sighed Mirajane as she reverted back to her normal form, her hair flowing around her shoulders, released from the ponytail by the explosion. "I guess you do have precognition…" She turned towards her boyfriend as he rowed back to the dock, where a cheering group of townspeople awaited them.

"Thank you so much!"

"You totally blew that monster to bits! Literally!"

"Fairy Tail mages are the best!"

The moment they got on land they were hoisted up in the air to be carried on the townspeople's shoulders.

"I'm buying you a drink! Nice call guessing where that fish came from!" said the lanky mustuached man on hoisting Coby up on his right shoulder.

"I'll give you free bread for a month!"

"Hey, let us down! Don't peek into my skirt!" hollered Mirajane, trying to push her skirt down as Coby laughed heartily. The silver haired girl blushed instantly.

"Quit laughing! This isn't funny!" barked the goth.

"Well you're the one who killed that Murklurker. Now that there's a corpse lying around by the dam, the others will stay away due to the scent." The marine grinned in a congratulatory fashion. Mirajane scowled and huffed.

"Whatever I guess…"

"Drinks on me for these two heroes!"

"Damn right!"

"Me too!"

Coby paled, his very slim memories of him sprawled on the Fairy Tail guild hall's floor and a smirking Cana holding her shots.

"Drinking…" But he didn't want to make them feel bad and spit on their generosity…

"Oh~ this will be interesting," oiled Mirajane with a sly look in her eye as she gazed at Coby as he bobbed up and down on the crowd's shoulders, wondering what the night would bring.

Soon enough they were entering the nearest tavern. Mirajane got off the crowd's shoulders and followed her boyfriend in, eager to see what would happen.

* * *

Gildarts hummed to himself as he flipped through the pages of an issue of _Sorcerer Magazine_. This particular issue happened to be the swimsuit edition, and provided plenty of entertainment for the bedridden mage. The night had already rolled in and he could hear the crickets and toads singing their symphonies far in the distance.

"My my…that Karen is something else…" he said to himself as he inspected the green-haired woman's picture. The woman, Karen Lilica, was in a one piece posing by the beach, her right index finger touching her mouth and her face all naughty. He was about to turn another page…

Until he heard his door open and turned to see what appeared to be an intoxicated Coby and a tipsy Mirajane totter through into his room.

And then the marine fell face first on the floor with a splat.

"What happened to you two?" chuckled Gildarts. Mirajane staggered over and sat down at the edge of his bed.

"Coby hash shome future shight power-" She hiccupped. "And with his-his-shis help, I killed a catfish and we were…would…have…were rewarded properly…how wash your day…" She fell over, giggling as she did so, finally climbing back up into a kneeling position with her upper body resting on the bed. Gildarts smiled.

"Well, it's good to know that you're helping the boy take his liquor better. How long did he last?"

Mirajane yawned.

"Two 24 ounce mugs and two shots…he still suhucks…" She gave a small burp.

"Ah, he'll learn. Where did you kill it?" Sadly, the only response he got was snores; Mirajane had passed out on his bed. He shook his head and chuckled and continued reading. Before long a young female brunette nurse came in to check on him and saw the two unconscious teenagers.

"I heard about these two. You mages have slain three of those monsters already right?" asked the young nurse.

Gildarts nodded. "It's thanks to those two. I'm letting them come along for the ride."

"Well…I'm glad you got their numbers down by a quarter." Gildarts' eyes rose.

"A quarter? You mean there are…" he counted the math in his head. "Nine more of these things? Including the mother? How do you know?"

"My father was a ranger who patrolled the forests near where the Murklurkers originally dwelled. He kept careful track of how many there were at all times. When the floods came, he was one of the first victims…" She placed a blanket over both Coby and Mirajane and walked towards the door.

"Don't worry. We'll kill those things before the storm rolls in. Count on it, Miss." The nurse stopped at the door and turned her head, smiling even though her blue eyes were tearing up.

"Thank you…Fairy Tail mages…" She left, turning off the light, leaving Gildarts alone as he tucked into bed and went to sleep.

* * *

**Well there you have it. I was thinking of ending it here, but decided against it. After all this is an S-class job so I would write more chapters for it. The Next one will be the conclusion and then I may or may not get on with the S-class trials.**

**And suffice to say, CMM is now my most popular fanfic with 11.3k words, 93 reviews, accepted into 6 communities, 60 favs, and 55 alerts! Thank you all so much!**

**And I may have decided on my pairing and what the future may hold post timeskip (canon FT) but I ain't telling no one except my idea rebounder (you know who you are…) but I am not sure and may change it up.**

**Big thanks to Artful Lounger for the concept of the Murklurker Catfish, and thanks to Juubi-K/1 over 0 for editing this chapter.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I own neither Fairy Tail nor One Piece. They belong to the great Eichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima.**

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Mirajane in reference to the drawing Coby had created detailing his plan for fighting the Murklurkers. The two mages were sitting out in a park near the hospital, the clouds still overcast and early morning mist lingering from building to building.

"Well it's better playing bait-and-catch. Maybe if they smell some blood and flesh they'll come running," said Coby, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's our cue to jump in."

After the previous night's festivities, the pinkette had fallen to a severe hangover, and after learning of the ingredients of the old-fashioned prairie oyster, he had decided to muscle through the temporary migraine he was going through.

"You know you should have just drunk the damn thing. I did, and my hangover is leaving me even as we speak."

"I _hate _Worcestershire sauce," growled the marine in the tone of a man that did not want to argue.

"Oh, so you'll eat friggin' _Habaneros_ but you treat Worcestershire sauce as if it's the plague."

"To each their friggin' own," he mumbled, rubbing his head. The Goth smacked it in chastisement.

"Don't give me lip! I'm just looking out for your well being here! Jeez…"

"If there're any drugstores nearby I'll be happy to down some magic medicine or whatever, all right?"

"No go. There's been no healing magic on record here in Earthland for centuries. You can get herbal remedies at a pharmacy but that's all you'll get." Coby sighed loudly in frustration.

"God _damn_," he muttered. "Anyways, here's the plan…"

There was a couple of minutes of heated discussion.

"What the! You do realize that he's-"

"I know…but if what you told me about your new spell is true, he can just stick back."

"We're gambling our lives here, Coby…"

"Don't forget that S-class jobs aren't going to get any easier from this point onward. And besides, Mira, my legs are better from yesterday and I'll be there to help. Just have some faith." Mirajane looked apprehensive.

"Alright then…but if we fail I'm putting you deep in medical debt! You hear me?" Coby rubbed his forehead harder.

"Don't yell, it's bad for my hangover…"

* * *

_One half-hour later_

Gildarts was reading yet another magazine. He reclined his head and sighed deeply, apparently very bored.

"If only I used _Haja Kensho_ I wouldn't be here. Dammit…" he muttered. "That's the last time I'll being conservative with magic when around the kids…"

He heard the door open and he turned his head, seeing Coby and Mirajane in new clothes. Mirajane was dressed in deep purple thigh high stockings and had donned denim shorts with a black skull tank top. She still kept her neck-collar and her ponytail.

Coby was now donned in yellow slacks and a white long-sleeved shirt along with a short yellow vest over his shirt. His headband was still on his forehead, as were his glasses.

"I knew you guys were coming by, but not in new duds," pointed out Gildarts.

"We changed back at the hotel." Coby nodded, agreeing with Mirajane's claim.

"Besides, before you offered me this job, Mira and the others took me to go shopping for new clothes," explained the Marine. The auburn haired man smirked a little, amused at this little tidbit of information.

"Really now? Who are these _others?_" The pinkette rubbed the back of his head.

"Well...Mira of course helped, so did Erza. They even helped clean up my apartment a little too." The Goth had her arms crossed and looked away.

"I'll admit it she's a decent cleaner. _Just_ decent though."

"Anyway Gildarts, we came up with a plan to try and hunt down the Murklurkers. It's a bit crazy but I think it can work. It does involve you but you don't need to take part in combat."

Gildarts leaned forward, intrigued.

"Shoot."

* * *

_An hour or so later._

Gildarts hobbled onto the boat near the docks that he had rented with his money, Coby and Mirajane waiting inside with a rope, a brown sack that reeked of meat and a bag or two of dirty blood, which Mirajane had borrowed from the hospital. The boat was unique among the other craft around because it had a special black box near the engine. He got on in and opened the box, revealing an armband connected to the device. He placed it around his arm.

"The SE-Plug on?" asked Mirajane.

"Yep. Now let's hurry on with this plan of yours before the nurses know I'm gone. Hell I'm not even-" He gave a slight cough. "Cleared yet."

"We need Mirajane at full power to execute this plan. You can just be the fuel we need. Ready?" Gildarts looked a bit irked at the pinkette's comment.

"I'm not fuel, and yes I'm good to go." Mirajane nodded and Coby pointed towards the dark depths of the swamp. Knowing the way to go, Gildarts grabbed the rudder and started the engine, his magic power going into the device and making the boat speed along its way.

They did not notice a dark figure gazing at them from a nearby alleyway. Its green eyes, stared hungrily at them, as piercing as a hawk's. The figure turned and disappeared down the alley.

"So how will we know when we get them close?" yelled Mirajane over the roar of the engine.

"We aren't going to lure them to us! We're going straight into the lion's den! Where the mother is!" responded Coby.

"What? Remember what happened last time we fought them in large numbers? And that was just us luring them, which we are doing right now while Gildarts is still injured!"

"We've been over this, Mira! You can use that spell, right?"

"Well yeah I can but-"

"And I can use the _Ran_, and then this plan can work! We need to kill as many as we can today! Did you see the several bodies that came in today?" Mirajane remained silent. Coby slowly sat next to Gildarts at the rear of the boat and took the dirty blood bag and mixed it with the brown sack of meat, now smelling foul. He tied the opening tight and wrapped the rope around it and dangled in the wake of the speeding boat. There was a small trail of red as they sped along the swamp.

"So where are we going?" yelled Gildarts

"The lake! Head north!" Gildarts turned the rudder, the bag swaying as well.

Just as a flying Murklurker leaped and missed the bag, landing back in the water.

"There's one! Keep going!" Gildarts ramped up the speed, and Coby could see the dark shape of Murklurker speeding behind behind the boat and sack. As he watched, he spotted several more dark shapes coming into formation behind the Murklurker juvenile.

"I see a canyon!" Coby turned his head away from the catfish at Gildarts' voice, seeing that the swamp ended at a river canyon. According to the information he and Mirajane had gathered, the canyon was Pine Gorge, named after the abundance of pine trees growing on and around it. It was where the floods originated from, bringing with them the Murklurkers. The lake was on the other side.

"Keep going! We need to get to Pickerel Lake at the other end of the canyon!" The boat entered the gorge; bleak rock faces walled them in on either side. From what Coby counted, five Murklurkers were on their tail.

Hunger really could drive the brightest of creatures to desperation, and with it, stupidity.

"I'll need to slow down, otherwise we'll crash!"

"Got it! Mira! Your cue!" Mirajane nodded and stood up high on the nose of the boat, transforming into _Satan Soul_. Her claws glowed dark purple and her blue eyes glowed ominously.

"_Darkness Stream!"_ Hands of darkness soared past Coby and the sack at the Murklurkers gaining ground in the water. Her efforts were rewarded with a captured Murklurker, trapped within the dark claws. It flailed about desperately.

"_Rankyaku!"_ Coby kept one leg on the boat as it shifted a little and fired an air blade at the struggling fish, slicing it two. Mirajane released the spell and dropped the remains back in the water on its chasing fellows. Gildarts made a sharp turn, causing Mirajane to lose her footing and fly off and land in the water.

Or would have if not for Coby leaping up and grabbing her hand. His other hand tightly locked on the boat's ledge, his face clenched and his eyes burned with determination to save her.

"I got ya!" he yelled as he reined the demon girl in. Both of them panted as the boat sped along. Mirajane blushed momentarily as she looked at her pseudo-boyfriend over the roar of the engine.

"You okay?" he yelled.

"Of course I am! Thanks anyway!" Coby had his head turned away. The two held on as Gildarts swerved and guided the boat around the river canyon's curves.

"Don't mention it! After all, that's what boyfriends do, right?" he said nonchalantly. Mirajane, with her hair pointing up due to _Satan Soul_, blushed.

"Well, duh! Of course boyfriends save their girlfriends when they're in dire straits! It's a logical thing to do! Jeez you're dense!" She looked away, but Coby didn't notice her blush as he was still looking back towards where the catfish were following.

Only to notice that they were gone…

Coby looked around the canyon, trying to peer deep into the water as he and Mirajane held onto the boat as Gildarts made the turns. They had the bait, meat with human blood, to make them ravenous and drive them along. So then why…

That feeling again…up ahead he saw a small waterfall coming from the Cliffside, and a shape jumping from it.

He deduced it immediately.

"They took a detour! Gildarts, go faster!" barked the marine, as he saw the small waterfall coming up on the next turn.

"Where are they coming from?" yelled Mirajane. She turned, just in time for the boat to go under the waterfall and a Murklurker to fly out of it and dive down. Her eyes stared right into the sharp-teethed maw of the creature. Time slowed down, as the fish, eyes blazing, flew towards her, its maw gaping wide and its whiskers flying on either side of it.

"_Jyugon: Yuusha no Gouken!" _Coby was at Mirajane's side and delivered a spine shattering punch to the fish's face, sending it flying into the canyon wall and creating a small crater. The boat darted past the waterfall only to see three more Murklurkers land in the river behind them and continue the chase. The ravaged Murklurker did not move.

Coby panted and grabbed his right arm as his muscles throbbed. Mirajane stared at the boy in awe; he had just saved her life a second time.

"Are you okay!" yelled Gildarts over the roar. His speed was still constant but the Murklurkers increased their speed in response to their second fallen sibling.

They were angry. _Very_ angry.

"I'll be fine! I could use about two more of those strikes before i won't be able to use my right arm! I still got my left, too! How are you on your end?"

"I got plenty of magic power to spare! Although by now the nurses may have noticed that I'm missing!"

"It will be fine! The plan involves killing all of those things, so I am sure they will forgive you!" shouted the She-Devil Goth as once again she fired another dark energy ball at the gaining Murklurkers, only to hit the bait. The sack disappeared under the torrent.

Before the Take Over mage could curse, she noticed that the Murklurkers were still chasing them. Coby was rubbing his head.

"This feeling…" He groaned as he could feel the hatred coming from the Murklurkers. Could that be this odd ability? To sense the hatred from other beings and see what they would do next?

One Murklurker was speeding up tremendously compared to its other two fellows. It ripped through the water and neared the boat's SE-Engine. It jumped and latched its mouth onto the box. Its fangs latching true, it jolted the boat and caused the occupants to stagger. Gildarts turned around, noticing the fish glaring into his eyes.

Gildarts stared dumbly at it, noticing the low growl the fish was giving, similar to a dog's, and it tried to move it's head as if trying to aim its flailing long whiskers towards the man as he continued to steer the speeding boat. He kept staring…

And sent a magic-powered punch right in its face, sending it back to the water, its grip released.

"That's for your sibling poisoning me, you fish-bastards," muttered Gildarts as he continued to navigate the cruiser towards the canyo

Their good fortune was rewarded in the form of an island in the far distance, and an opening. They were reaching the lake. Coby turned around, not seeing the three pursuing creatures. He grit his teeth as he remembered Mirajane accidentally blowing off the bait.

They heard the sputtering of an engine and all the occupants turned toward the SE-Engine, as it gave dying putters.

"I thought you said you had plenty of magic power!" barked Mirajane. They were still a distance away from the small barren island…

"I did! That Murklurker from before must have damaged it!" Gildarts inspected the engine, his fears true as the engine, which he was feeding magic power into, was totaled, slowly beginning to die out. The boat began to slow down.

Stupid cheap rental SE-Engines...

It sputtered to a halt and gave out completely, leaving the mages dead in the water.

"Now what? We can't swim if those things are in the water," moaned Gildarts. Coby kept his eyes on the water, Mirajane looking at the back of his head.

"Hey, Mira. Are you sure you can use that spell? The one you mentioned earlier," said the marine as he kept staring at the water.

"It'll be my first time using it in combat, but I can-" Suddenly the boat was jolted and all the occupants grabbed hold of something to maintain balance.

"Dammit all…they're trying to capsize us from below!" growled the Goth.

"Calm down… As long as you can pull off that spell, we'll be fine. Gildarts?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to throw me into the air. On my signal."

"Fine, but I can't promise I'll be able to throw you steady." They were reminded of that by another jolt, this time harder, followed by another jolt. The Murklurkers were coordinating their strikes and were wising up. Coby kept his eyes on the water. The brown water made it impossible for him to detect the fish.

"We need to do this really fast, like within a five-second window. But I need you to toss me high. Can you?" Mirajane nodded, standing up and claws glowing.

"I can. I've warned you though." The pinkette walked over to the cloaked man and he placed his feet on his hands. Coby felt that tingle again, and saw three separate splashes and three missiles streaking towards the boat from within his mind.

"Now! Gildarts duck! Mira go!" On cue, Gildarts heaved the marine into the air and dropped to a fetal position, just in time to miss a strike from three speeding Murklurkers, flying over the boat and into the water. Mirajane hopped into the water. Coby looked down, face grim and his legs coiled.

And he was delighted with the sight of a whirlpool. The spell was working.

"Woah! Hey! Wah!" yelled out the Crush mage as the boat went round and round within the whirlpool's confines. The Murklurkers were trapped as well.

And then the water exploded. At the eye of storm in the lake, Mirajane twisted and twirled, her claws shifting and shaping the whirlpool in a dance. Her eyes set, she looked up, and saw the marine beginning his slow descent down. Then she grabbed the water with her claws, as if it was a solid yet flexible object, and aimed her palms towards Coby.

"_Evil Explosion!" _And the water speared towards Coby, as he soared towards the tempest, legs ready.

"Hey wait I'm still in here!" yelled Gildarts as he tried to hold onto the boat for dear life.

"You're Fairy Tail's strongest mage! You can deal!" Coby coiled his whole body. "_RANKYAKU: RAN!"_

A storm of air blades descended on the tower of water, Coby roaring as he swung his legs faster, as if they were naught but a blur, hopping to cut through more of the water and kill the creatures. The countless azure air blades cut through the target, some going wide, but the sheer volume of air blades was enough.

As he fell into the lake, the explosion of water dispersed, and the area at the epicenter was rife with blood and fish guts. The plan had had a large margin of error from the beginning. But they'd pulled it off.

Three maimed fish head were the result. Before the marine could yell out in victory, he felt another jolt into his legs, and struggled to keep afloat, his arms flailing. It was not as bad as using the _Ran_ and _Geppou_ in quick succession but his leg muscles still stung. He had to practice the _Ran _more so his legs would get accustomed and grow stronger and more resilient.

He felt a tug on the collar of his shirt and he rose out of the water, like a cat being hoisted by its owner. Gildarts plopped him back into the boat.

"The boat is still in one piece?" asked the marine as he took deep breaths, rather surprised. He could see Mirajane panting as well, back in her normal form and exhausted from trying out the_Evil Explosion_ spell and staying afloat.

"Thankfully. But now the SE-Engine is completely totaled, no thanks to the two of you," said the auburn haired man dryly. Then he smiled. "But…I think your stunning performance more than makes up for it." Coby gave a grin as his panting slowed down.

"Let's head down to that island and rest a little before hiking back to Pickerel. I'm sure the boat rental owner will understand. Can you help paddle?" The marine nodded and began paddling with his arms, Gildarts doing the same. Mirajane was helping out paddling, slowly moving the boat towards the small island.

"So Mira, what was it like?" asked Coby, hoping to strike some conversation. "Being in the center of a whirlpool then hurling it into the air?"

"At first it was well…cool, but then it drained a lot of me. I think I only have enough magic power for another transformation and maybe one attack. That's all," responded the Take Over girl.

"Hey Gildarts. When we get back, I wanna help pitch in for the destroyed rental. It was partly my fault and with this job, it's not like the money will be much of an issue anyway." Gildarts nodded, before sneezing a little.

"Great, I get over a deadly neurotoxin, and you guys give me a cold."

"Not my fault you wear your cape like that. Looks like a hindrance to me," pointed out Coby. The older man gave a slight scoff before continuing his paddling. Soon enough they reached the island. The three waded onto shore and took in a view of the small isle.

It was about fifty meters in radius, and it was oval shaped. It had a small hill and was covered in sandstone and rock much like the canyon walls surrounding the lake. There was a tree or two nearby, and the trio headed towards there.

"Let's relax first, although…" The marine's stomach growled. "We don't have any lunch…and I doubt the Murklurkers would be any good, considering, y'know, the poison." Coby sat down on a small rock. Mirajane sat down next to the rock and leaned against it for support.

"So…we took down all five of them, right?" asked the silver haired girl. Gildarts, who took off his cape, shook his head.

"There was twelve total of those monsters. We took down…" he counted his fingers. "Nine of them. Which leaves three juveniles and the mother left alive." Coby's eyes rose and he let loose a sigh. Even after all that effort they were still out there… including the mother to boot.

"So now what? We can't exactly swim back to the coast near the cliff and," Coby looked around the lake, noticing that it was in a massive pot hole, surrounded by high cliffs, and the entrance to Pine Gorge being the only exit and entrance. "The only way out is if we climb, or slowly paddle back to the gorge, but our hands will be vulnerable to those things."

"Yeah, but there're some trees on this rock," Mirajane said as she pointed out several of the small trees. "So maybe we can make paddles." Coby turned out to the lake and froze.

"Uh guys?"

"Does it look like we have carpenter's tools on our persons at the moment? We'd just be using pointless sticks," retorted the Crush mage, staring down at the Take Over mage.

"Guys?"

"Well it's better than nothing!"

"Transform your hand into a claw and shave some sticks for us then?"

Coby was still staring at the water, his head tingling more intensely, his uneasy feeling intensifying. "Guys?"

"I can't just waste a transformation like that! I'm running on fumes here!" She looked at her nails as she held out her hand. "Besides, I could nick a nail."

"You're worried about a nail when we could possibly starve?"

"A man like you could never understand! If I nick a nail, I would never hear the end of it from Erza, or from that brat Natsu for that matter!"

"GUYS!" Coby yelled out, causing the bickering mages to turn their heads towards the marine and where he was staring. Total silence fell over them.

Staring out at them were three very alive and, judging from their narrowed eyes, very angry, Murklurker juveniles just a short distance off-shore.

Coby grit his teeth, his head pulsating.

Anger…sorrow…hatred…a hunger…these feelings rushed into him like a broken faucet into a sink. What was this power? Where did it come from? Did he get it when he came to Earthland? Was it the dial Blackbeard hit him with? Or was it something else? What gave him the power to sense these emotions and see the future?

But then another feeling came to him…a satisfaction…arrogance…anxiety…

"Oh look, the last three little babies want revenge for us killing their siblings. They saved us the trouble for hunting them down," oiled the silver haired girl, cracking her knuckles.

"For one so afraid of nicking a nail while cutting up wood, you sure are eager to bash some heads. Fish heads in this case," pointed out Gildarts. Then he staggered to his knees. Coby turned towards the older man.

"You okay?"

"The anti-venom might be starting to wear off. It's because I moved too much…damn…" groaned Gildarts as he clutched his side.

"Leave this to me and Mira. We are in more able condition than you to take on these monsters."

"Yeah, leave it to us old-timer. Besides," She threw him a cheeky and mischievous grin. "You might break a hip or something."

"Screw you."

Then Coby grabbed his head, as a sudden wave of shock and livid anger rushed into his mind. This anger…is akin to the loss of something…something he knows too well.

The loss of family.

He saw it. A massive explosion of water, and tentacles flying towards him…

"_Soru!"_ With only a second to spare, he blurred and grabbed Mirajane out of the way, just in time for that same explosion of water to occur, the three juveniles leaping forward. And the tentacles darted to where he and Mirajane would have stood…

And flew towards the kneeling Gildarts, still trying to react to what had just occurred. The tentacles wrapped around his body, hoisting him into the air. Coby and Mirajane turned towards his yelling.

"Gildarts!"

"Old man!"

The marine could see another tentacle coming from his peripheral vision and grabbed Mirajane, throwing her out of the way.

'_It's too fast!'_ The speeding appendage slammed into the pinkette's ribs, sending him skidding around the ground until he crashed into a boulder several dozen meters nearby, causing several cracks to appear due to the force of his impact. The marine slumped down, coughing up blood as his body spiked in agony.

"Coby!" yelled Mirajane in concern and fear. She turned her heads towards where the tentacles were flailing, and gasped.

Its head was bulbous, like its offspring but riddled with pus-filled zits. However, along its head, like a lion's mane, were the hundreds upon hundreds of thick green tentacles, several of which were wrapped around a struggling Gildarts. There was also a large appendage on each side of the creature's mouth, much akin to the barbed whiskers of the Murklurkers, only far larger, with numerous spines filled with black venom. Although they only barely qualified as spines anymore, being somewhat closer to small trees. And as if the barbells were not enough, Mirajane gazed into the clenched mouth of the beast, filled with razor sharp yellow teeth, each swordlike fang as tall as she was. She could see its blazing yellow eyes, surrounded by some blue flesh akin to eyelids, obviously burning with anger. She saw the head move and large flippers appeared and slapped upon the sandbar. Mirajane backed away, as the massive creature came closer and closer to land, using its fins to waddle and send water and mud into the air. She could see the stout lower body appear, with more fins, zits and unnatural growths, and a massive tail.

"This is…" she muttered in shock, eyes and mouth aghast. "The Murklurker mother?"

As if on cue to what she had said, the beast reared its head back and gave a great and mighty roar. Mirajane could only stand paralyzed, her knees shaking and her mouth gaping.

"_Am I…really going to die here?_" was the first thought that came to her mind, as she saw the beast raise its left large barbell whisker with its head and prepared to smash down on top of her. She could not budge.

"_Are missions like this…what S-Class mages need to do? Fight monsters as dangerous as this? As intelligent as its children? Maybe even more so? Am I in over my head? Can I really do this?"_ The whisker began to fall, and she did not move.

All she could see were images of her and the Guild. Natsu chowing down on a turkey leg with abandon. Gray reaching towards the same area before Natsu finished the turkey off. Erza, her rival, grabbing Natsu's scarf to restrain him from making a mess. Macao, Wakaba, and Elfman giving presents. Levy looking on in curiosity. Cana holding a bouquet of flowers. Laxus behind her, unimpressed and moody over whatever Makarov did to his father Ivan, but he still had the heart to attend. And finally…

Her light and hope, her dear little Lisanna, celebrating her eleventh birthday with pure joy, with Happy on her crown, looking down at the cake.

The whisker continued its descent…

And there was the image of a pink haired boy, saving her life from crazed Zeref cultists...the two getting their own first kisses in a party-laden messy Guild Hall, his eyes wide in shock, and hers closed in silent victory and bliss…and that boy smiling at her on top of a parade in a faraway town of Zakuro…the two of them eating treats in the Guild Hall…

And that smile…

"_RANKYAKU!"_ Two soaring blue air blades sliced the large appendage in two and another sped through and gashed the left eye, blood erupting from the vessel. The whisker fell next to the unmoving and unblinking Take Over mage. The roar of pain emitted by the beast made her blink, snapping her back to reality and she turned around, ignoring the beast's thrashing.

Standing with his hand clutched around his ribs, Coby was breathing hard, blood coating his pink hair red, and his left eye closed tight due to blood running down the left side of his face. His teeth were clenched, his breathing hoarse.

"Coby!" Mirajane ran towards the Marine, standing by his side. "Are you okay?"

"I think some of my ribs are broken…I think…I may have," he coughed, blood spurting out. "Internal…bleeding…" Mirajane's eyes rose up.

They needed to kill this beast now. Gildarts' anti-venom was wearing off, and Coby had broken ribs and potential internal bleeding. In an instant she transformed, dark energy washing over her as she reverted to _Satan Soul._

"I will fight with you Mira…don't worry…" breathed the marine, as the demonized girl turned towards him, the massive beast quitting its thrashing and slowly flopping towards the shore, only much faster this time. Its tentacles still kept Gildarts high up in the air, as he struggled and yelled.

"A little help would be nice! The more this friggin tentacle moves me around the more the venom spreads!"

Coby and Mirajane didn't respond, knowing what they need to do.

To end this beast's life, as well as those of its three children. To save Gildarts. To save the townspeople of Pickerel.

To give justice unto all, reward and relief to the good, punishment and defeat to the evil.

"Its left eye is blind. If we can blind it, more power to us," breathed Coby, slipping into a pained fighting stance.

"I'll cover you. You're much faster than I am, and…" She saw the Murklurker juveniles nearing the shallow waters near shore. They appeared to be a bit larger, and had the flippers that allowed them to waddle. "I can help rake up some fish steak for you while you take on big momma."

Coby nodded, and felt rejuvenated somewhat. Adrenaline? Hope? Determination? He didn't care, his eyes set on the massive monster and its offspring waddling towards him.

The dust behind him exploded, and he charged, teeth clenched. The muscles in his legs ached, but he had to overcome it. Garp had when he had cornered the Pirate King Gold Rodger numerous times. He could do it as well with a mangy oversized fish.

He had reached the water, and his speed didn't falter. Water splashed as his feet pounded the ground beneath. One Murklurker juvenile leapt up, teeth barred.

"Out of my way!" he roared as he lashed his hand out, sending a _Shigan_ right through the beast's mouth, and tearing through the beast as he continued his charge, literally splitting the fish in two, blood and guts coating him. He saw several tentacles jet towards him and he saw their direction as plain as day, as if he knew where and when they would hit.

Using _Soru_, Coby dodged one tentacle, then went left to avoid another, then hopped on one tentacle and jumped to avoid another. He landed in the shallow water, as his mind processed another juvenile leaping up at him, this time with the whiskers. His ribs jolted in pain from the landing.

'_Can't dodge!'_ But many claws slashed the juvenile's face and skull apart before it could collide with the pinkette. Mirajane waved to him.

"Leave the last baby to me! Kill that ugly bitch!" she hollered as she charged towards the last juvenile, which was speeding towards her murderously.

Coby aimed himself towards the mother's eye, and his mind saw the other large spine-tipped whisker heading his way.

"_Soru!"_ He avoided the attack, but only barely, as he had begun to slow down. His legs were screaming in agony, his ribs throbbed, and his body was telling him to submit.

He would never submit. Justice demanded it.

The beast gave another roar and flopped towards him, Gildarts swaying side to side.

"Anytime now, thanks!"

Coby prepped his fist, preparing a combo of techniques that would drain him. But instinct and drive overcame logic.

"_Geppou!"_ He launched towards the Murklurker mother's face, the air exploding under him as he kicked and flew.

"_Jyugon: Yuusha no Gouken!"_ His fist slammed at the head of the beast, scooting it back a dozen meters or so, and it hollered in pain as the aftershock of the blow sent agony throughout its body.

Coby's body screamed, and he bit on his tongue to keep himself from screaming in agony. The pain he was experiencing distracted him from an incoming flipper, which hurled up, right into the maw of the mother. He could taste blood going down his throat.

"Coby, no!" yelled Gildarts, frantic from his position high above the mother, still suspended from the appendages. But Coby caught the closing mouth and his legs planted firmly on the lower jaw, his hands on the closing upper jaw, right between the sharp teeth. He felt sharp stings of pain, and a warm tickling, as blood rolled down his arms. Still he held the Murklurker's maw open.

His body was at its breaking point. If his arms or legs didn't give out, his spine would. It was impossible. It was-

"_Impossible! Utterly impossible! To become Pirate King in the Grand Pirate Era…it's practically impossible! Anyone attempting such a journey will die for sure!"_

_But the young man with the straw hat simply smiled. "Dying doesn't scare me!"_

_In two years of forced service to pirates, the young pinkette had never heard anything so outlandish. He looked up at the young man._

"_Huh?"_

"_It's my dream. As long as I follow my dream to become Pirate King…even if during my journey I were to die..." The young man stared at his hat. "Then I don't mind at all."_

That young man who gave him purpose. That young man who became his first true friend and his first adversary. That young man whose drive and smile attracted all those around him. That young man who, if not for him, would not have made Coby the man he is.

Another burst of strength came to him, and his arms and legs snapped up, propping the monster's jaws even further, causing the beast to widen its one good eye in shock. He heard a howling, and blankly he realized that it was his own. And suddenly he felt someone next to him near the opening of the mouth, with a hand on his shoulder. He turned his struggling head, his nostrils flared in effort.

And saw a freed Gildarts and Mirajane.

"Thanks Coby, for giving us time," smiled the _Satan_ _Soul_ user.

"She freed me, after killing that last one. I want to bash your head in, for ignoring me, but that can come later," grinned the auburn haired. He reeled his fist back in preparation. Mirajane held her hands close together as dark energy swirled about.

"_Haja Kensho…"_ His fist glowed bright.

"_Soul…"_ The dark magic ball got bigger and swirled faster. Their eyes widened and they roared in tandem.

"_SHICHITEN!"_

"_EXTINCTION!"_

And the bright white fist fired a bright lance of light, and Mirajane's spell fired a massive blast of dark magic.

All of it went down the beast's throat.

A great explosion tore outwards, and the beast's body convulsed and exploded in a flash of gore and blood.

Coby was launched into the air and landed back onto the shallow water with a splash. He heard another splash and an "oomf!" from Gildarts landing on dry land. And the red rain descended upon them.

He breathed hard, his lungs working overtime to pull oxygen out of the blood-soaked air. He lay there in dull contentment, the residual adrenaline leaving him feeling as if he were floating, though his back pressed against the lakebed in the shallow water.

Then that adrenaline ran out.

He screamed as the pain hit him like a speeding freight train. Or a lightning bolt; he couldn't think straight. His eyes clenched as he floundered in the shin-deep water.

"Coby!" yelled out Mirajane as she limped towards him, trudging through the water as fast as her tired body could manage. She kneeled and went underneath his arm to support him, as he breathed heavy breaths of pain and exhaustion.

"Is…" he hissed through his clenched teeth. "Is the thing dead?"

Mirajane's eye twitched, and Coby would have been frightened if he were looking into her demonic visage, but considering how tired and wounded the both of them were, she let the idiocy slide.

"Yeah…we won…all of them…are…" and Mirajane felt a wave of nausea hit her, and something rise from her throat, and she coughed.

Red liquid splattered the shallow water in front of her. Coby craned his head towards her.

"Mira…" he breathed, and as the two finally made it to dry land, she collapsed. The two lay there, side by side, both breathing painfully. Coby rolled over despite it all...and saw a spine the size of a nail sticking out from Mirajane's hip, poking through her long, undone hair.

"That last one…got you…" he said, eyes widening as he moved towards her.

"Yeah…thankfully…my _Satan Soul_ form held off the poison, but only temporarily…" She reverted back to coughing. She felt weak, and her eyes suddenly began to close.

"Mira!" yelled out the marine, as he placed his head near her hip, her hands on her stomach for support, and removed the spine and placed his lips on the point of entry. A gush of blood greeted his efforts, and he quickly tore off his shirt and pressed it down on the wound to try and staunch it.

"Coby...stop..." sighed Mirajane. "It won't work. The poison...it's inside..."

Coby removed his shirt from the wound and pressed his lips to it, sucking madly. Blood squirted into his mouth from the tiny entry hole.

"Coby…what are you…" moaned Mirajane weakly.

"I'll suck out the poison!" gasped Coby after spitting out a mouthful of dark blood.

"But you'll…"

"I am…not afraid…of dying…" He continued to suck, and spit out the blood.

Mirajane reached out a shaking hand and placed it on Coby's cheek, stopping him. She looked up, into his eyes, his beautiful, gentle eyes.

"Stop. Don't do this," she said. "It won't work, and you know it." Her eyes went up, to the sky. "I'm done; and I don't want you to die for my sake."

Coby shook his head vigorously, water droplets flying from the ends of his hair. "I can't stop. What sort…" He lifted his head up again, staring into Mirajane's eyes. "Of boyfriend would I be, if I let you die in a place like this?"

_"What sort of father would I be if I let you all die in a place like this?"_ echoed a voice in Mirajane's head, a voice from the past.

"Coby, stop. This is an order from your girlfriend, and so you have to listen. Don't do this..."

Coby sat back on his heels, panting heavily. His heart screamed at him to continue...but his need to respect Mira's wishes won out. He took his shirt and used the sleeves to tie it around Mira's hips, creating a kind of makeshift bandage. Trying desperately to think of a way to help her, he took her by the arms and dragged her up the beach towards the small stand of trees. He leaned her back against it, hoping that he could keep the poison from reaching her heart. Then he sat next to her, his heart slowly tearing in two from frustration.

Mirajane coughed. "Guess I'm not going to make the S-Class trials after all..." She tried to laugh, but it fell away weakly. "Looks like Lisanna's going to beat me after all..."

"You'll make it," said Coby firmly, though his eyes betrayed his true thoughts. "Just hold on. When we get back, we'll take the S-Class trials, and you'll come out on top, the best mage that Fairy Tail has ever seen."

Mirajane just smiled whimsically and slowly tilted her head back to look up through the swaying branches of the tree. Slowly, she reflected on the past week.

The last week had been undeniably _different_. In fact, almost everything had been turned upside-down. All because of this one boy, this boy she had coerced and strong-armed into being her boyfriend just so she would have a surprise advantage against the other candiates in the S-Class trials. This boy had completely upset her life.

And she didn't regret any of it. Coby Marinford, the shrimp-obsessed magicless idiot. _Her_ lovable, kind, righteous, idiot…because…

"Coby, I..." sighed Mirajane.

"What?"

"Coby...Coby..."

"Mira?"

"I…" Her eyes began to close.

"Don't fall asleep! Mira! Stay with me!" Panic began to enter his hoarse, tired voice.

"I…"

Her back slipped on the tree trunk, and she fell over, sideways. Coby's heart stopped in fear, in panic, and then years of Marine training took over. He quickly rolled her onto her back, tilted her chin up, and opened her mouth. He put his ear to her lips, and a faint susurration of breath brushed against it. He pulled back; she was still breathing. But it was clear that things were getting worse, and without intervention she would die.

"Wake up, Mira! Dammit, wake up!" He shook her shoulders frantically. "Don't sleep, Mira! If you sleep...you'll never wake up!" His heart pounded in panic where it had frozen just a moment ago. Coby sat back, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"Don't die!" Memories came to him of Commodore Mathis Perry, laying a pool of his blood. Memories of Helmeppo jumping over the ship, and into the nest of Sea Kings that lay below the Calm Belt.

His eyes glanced over to the spot where his shirt covered the wound. Blood had almost completely stained the fabric, and it seeped out, creating a small, dark pool on the ground.

He tore it away and began trying to suck out the poison again. _'Anything,'_ he thought. _'I'll try anything...I'll give anything to save her! Even my own life!'_

He slurped noisily at the wound, desperation making him sloppy though he worked hard. Time and again he recoiled to spit out the dark, bitter-tasting mess of poison and blood, and each time he nearly retched at it, but he kept going. As time went on, he began to feel some of it leaking down the back of his throat, and he began to feel dizzy and weak. He pressed on all the same, though every instinct screamed at him to stop. Eventually his arms gave out, and he fell on top of Mirajane's limp form, his heart pounding and his head reeling. He tried to get up again, but found that his body wasn't responding.

His head slumped against Mirajane's body, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Someone…help..."

Gildarts did not respond, unconscious, succumbing to the poison's effects as the antivenom's power waned. Coby sat slumped, frustrated and helpless, as he felt Mirajane's life seeping away.

They were going to die, and he felt that fear, the same one he had felt in the presence of Blackbeard.

_'Who was I kidding...I'm not like Luffy...I'm not like him at all…I…am…afraid…I am afraid of dying…because I want to be…'_ He saw the memories he shared with Fairy Tail, all of its members smiling and partying. Of Makarov when he took him in without a second thought. Of Elfman and his timid and kind demeanor. Of Natsu and his rash nature. Of Gray and…his stripping. Of Erza and her fashion habits and kindness. Of Lisanna and her admiration towards him.

Of Laxus, and his smile of knowing real happiness for the first time in a long time.

Of Mirajane and her beautiful sleeping face, and the few cherished smiles she gave to him.

And he was going to die, without Laxus, without Erza, without anyone knowing.

Alone.

Just like he was on Alvida's ship. Just like how he was when he realized he was in a whole new world, away from his family and old friends and mentors and colleagues.

He would die alone.

"Anyone…" he sobbed. The sun was beginning to set behind the high canyon walls.

"Please..."

A black feather floated down next to his face and touched down to the ground next to his hand. He turned his gaze up, weakly, staring into the bright sunlight. Only the sun wasn't there anymore; all had been cast in shadow.

He saw some sort of figure, a figure with wings, descending down upon them. His eyelids drooped heavily with fatigue.

Before darkness took him, he saw the figure's gaze. Dark emerald eyes gazed down at him, piercing down into his very soul.

Eyes as piercing as a hawk's.

* * *

The figure glided down to the shore, landing softly on the sandbank next to the prone silver haired girl and pink haired boy. The jet-black wings retreated, folding in on themselves, becoming a cloak that fell over the figure's shoulders.

The figure was tall, dressed in all black, save for the deep blue breastplate. The breasplate swelled outwards, suggesting that the figure was female. The cloak wrapped itself around her, almost naturally, the way a bird's wings fold tight against the body. The female's helmet was in the shape of a hawk's beak, with two eyeholes above the open beak, from which green eyes stared down at the two teenagers. Her shapely lips were visible below the helmet's beak, and were tinted dark red, further clues as to the figure's gender, though by no means conclusive.

She knelt down, feeling the pulses of the two Fairy Tail mages. The poison had not spread fast enough. Although she had been hit before managing to split the Murklurker in two, the girl's demon form had slowed the poison just long enough.

The boy had made a very valiant effort to suck the poison from the girl, so much so that he had infected himself. Her wing cloak twitched aside a bit, revealing a gauntleted hand holding two unlabelled syringes.

The Pickerel Hospital had been in quite a fuss, what with Gildarts being missing. Given his reputation of destroying buildings, it was natural that they ran about like headless chickens. It had been easy to swipe two syringes, each filled with fully complete, potent Murklurker antivenom.

She kneeled down and injected the shot into the girl's arm. The antivenom entered her bloodstream, and set about doing its invisible work.

"You are a lucky girl to have a boy as dedicated and devoted as he," whispered the woman. She withdrew the empty syringe and turned towards the unmoving boy.

"And you, willing to sacrifice your body to save complete strangers. You remind me of myself, somewhat," she murmured to herself. She injected the antivenom into his arm and stood up, her shadow eclipsing the two teenagers.

She turned and walked towards dry land, and towards the unconscious auburn haired man. She knelt down and caressed his cheek with her armor-covered hand. A sad, nostalgic smile graced her lips. She had been following this man and watching over him as a guardian angel for the last several years after all.

This man, who had loved her in her previous life but allowed her to seek happiness. But it all went wrong. She regretted not falling for the man in front of her instead of…_him._

"Gildarts…"

She jolted upright and glared about. She spun incredibly fast and flung her arm out, her wing-cloak following her arm's movements. Several sharp daggers soared out, only to collide with a dark murky substance in the shape of a circle.

"My oh my, someone is a bit defensive today," oiled the man behind the magic circle erected from his right hand. Behind him was a boat with an SE-Engine. The woman's hawk-like eyes narrowed.

_'Space manipulation magic…'_ she growled mentally. The man held out his left hand and another black circle appeared, and with it, the daggers she sent soared out of the circle and into the canyon wall several hundred meters away. The wall exploded and crumbled upon the impact of the projectiles, and chunks of rock and huge boulders fell into the lake, the section of the canyon face destroyed. The man lowered his circles and gazed at the destruction, whistling in awe.

"_Damn~,_ you could easily kill someone with magic knives like those. Or did you just throw them _that hard?_ Hell, I'm guessing both." The man turned towards her, grinning mischievously. The woman sized him up quickly.

The man was around her height, in his early thirties, and dressed in a formal brown business suit with a white shirt and black tie. He was wearing a tan fedora hat and a white scarf. White gloves covered his elegant hands. Upon his nose sat a small pair of glasses, and behind those glasses gleamed a pair of amused golden eyes set into golden olive skin.

"What are you here for,_ Lacuian?_" snarled the woman. Foreigners were not an odd occurrence in Fiore, but Lacui, a country far northeast from the Fiore Peninsula, was notorious to being a centuries-old enemy of Fiore's kingdom before the people of Fiore swore total neutrality in all international affairs. But that wasn't what concerned her the most. Embroidered on his gloves was a very ominous symbol.

A single red eye within a black circle.

The mark of the Sixth Hellking of the Duchy of Lacui.

"You should at least let me hear what I have to say, Milady. And besides, I am not here to fight, or anything of the sort," smiled the Lacuian. "I'm just an errand boy by the name of Judix Tennyson."

"Errand boy?" Her eye's narrowed further. "Of the Hellking you mean."

"Oh yes, His Majesty is intrigued by the rumors of a creature in Southeastern Fiore that has a very rather potent poison. A poison that could suit His Majesty well in the long term. I am not here to kill anyone, just to collect a little sample and leave without a fuss." The Lacuian known as Judix walked on over to the corpse of the Murklurker mother, drew a knife, and sawed off the entire remaining whisker. He hoisted it onto his shoulders, and then conjured a green magic circle, opening another portal. He pushed the appendage into the portal.

"So you can store objects like a _Requip_ mage," commented the black-winged woman. The man smirked playfully as both whisker and portal disappeared.

"In a way. This Lost Magic: _Void Zone_ is very nifty indeed. I can store many objects in many pocket dimensions, as you noticed with your knives earlier. I can even set teleportation points, but only two though, just so you know. Now, it's been a pleasure, but I have to go now!"

The amused eyes closed, and then reopened, gleaming with a malignant light. A shining yellow circle appeared beneath him, a portal opening to his destination.

"Farewell, Milady de Raptor."

The man vanished, as did the portal.

The woman, known as Raptor, growled.

'_He may claim Lacui does not seek more trouble in Fiore, but whatever that the sixth Hellking is planning…'_ She turned towards the prone Gildarts one last time.

"Farewell, old friend. Watch over them, and most importantly…watch over him too…for me…" She spread her wigs and leaped, flapping as she did so, gaining height until she soared high above her wilderness. From high above she gazed with hawk's eyes at the lake, at the buildings of Pickerel Town, at the shadows of mountains in the distance.

And the lady known as Raptor sped off into the distance, a crack of thunder sounding in her wake.

* * *

Coby stirred as he felt something poking his arms. He opened his eyes and tried to move.

Pain lanced through his body, causing him to seize up and shift violently, scaring away the pack of scarecrows that had alighted on his body. They cawed remorsefully, disappointed that their meal was still alive.

He groaned as he sat up. He quickly assessed himself for damage, finding that, somehow, miraculously...

He was alive.

Cut along the shoulders to the elbows, brusied badly, possible broken rib or two, but alive.

"But…I sucked some of Mira's venom and-" He flashed his gaze to the right, and saw Mirajane breathing easily. He placed his finger on her neck, feeling her pulse, and gave a sigh of relief as he hugged her in joy.

"Thank god…" he murmured. His eyes wandered towards his arm and he saw a small hole, much akin to one made by a needle. His eyebrows quirked as he fingered the tiny spot. The marine inspected the _Take Over_ mage's arm and found a similar mark.

"What the…" He continued to inspect the area. It was well after dark, the only light coming from the moon. The corpses of the Murklurkers were still there, now rotting and attracting bugs, carrion, and some other fish species.

"Did someone come here?" thought Coby out loud. Gathering his strength, he wobbled to his feet, grabbed the sleeping Mirajane by her shoulders and propped her back up against the tree. Once he had done that, he staggered over to Gildarts and dragged him over next to the _Take Over_ mage, placing him against the tree as well. As he did so, the tide came in, washing over the beach, erasing a mysterious set of footprints from the sand.

"Better start a fire…but who could have stopped the poison for me and Mirajane?" His legs wobbled and nearly gave out. Deciding that a fire could wait, he collapsed on the ground next to the sleeping Mirajane, resting his back against the tree. He reached over and took her hand; it was warm, warm with miraculous life. He held Mirajane's hand in his own and reclined back to rest.

But before his eyes could close, he happened to notice a certain massive change in the scenery.

"What destroyed that rock face?" he yelled out loud, his eyes snapping open. Only someone with Garp's strength or maybe a Rear Admiral could have performed a feat of that magnitude! As his eyes wandered about, he was further surprised to note a boat with the telltale box of an SE-Engine floating about near the island.

Needle marks in his and Mirajane's arms…a destroyed canyon face…and an SE-Engine boat?

_'Who could have saved us?'_ The boy had accepted Death, but then had been mysteriously wrenched away from the specter's scythe. And the only clues he had were a boat, a destroyed geographical feature, and puncture marks in his and his girlfriend's arm.

Not much to go on indeed. But he smiled as he looked up at the heavens, where a hawk soared through the sky.

"Thank you…whoever you are…"

His eyes closed, and he slept.

* * *

**And done! Finally that was drag to write! The first part was hard as hell to write up, and I think it was sort of rushed, but I didn't want to bore you and all that jazz. The second part (the chase through the canyon) was fun and easy to write but after that, I kinda fell flat and had to ponder on what to do next. Thankfully, I was inspired to finish writing the final part (Murklurker battle and debut of Raptor and Judix) thanks to what is one of the best mangas out there, and reconmmended to me by Artful Lounger.**

**Berserk. If you haven't read it. READ IT. Be warned though, it takes grimdark to a whole new extreme.**

**Now, just because Mirajane and Coby get a bit more cozy feely, doesn't mean she wins. She has the most development of the girls present that is true, but I plan on giving the other girls (like Lisanna from the in-between arc) equal development. Mirajane has the lead, but only time will tell if she wins our favorite Master Chief Petty Officer.**

**And not to mention, school recently started so I need get up 4 am pacific time for swim conditioning, and stay through the day until 4:30 pm on Mondays and Weds. In addition, my dad recently got foot surgery and needs me to be his arms and legs at his work (an airplane parts crafting and melding plant. He's manager) so my time for writing is even more limited.**

**The next update will either be Words or Never Alone, or I could just continue on my momentum, whatever I feel like writing.**

**Shichiten means "Seventh Heaven".**

**Beta'ed by 1 over 0 and Juubi-K**


	13. Chapter 13

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor, and any other OCs I create.**

**Note, there's a bit of a dark spot here in the chapter with implied gore and other bad stuff. I'll put a marker in for you.**

* * *

_Pine Gorge_

Gildarts groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes as he slowly began to wake.

Then he remembered the catastrophe with the Murklurker poison. He'd lost consciousness early on; he had no idea how the other two were faring. He immediately jumped up to his feet, and wobbled slightly.

"Ugh..." His body was waging bitter war against the poison, and even though it was successfully routing the enemy, the effects were still there. He placed his hand to his head, rubbing it soothe an oncoming headache.

He turned his head and his heart leapt with relief. There were Coby and Mirajane, sleeping together side by side with their backs against a tree. The _Crush_ mage limped over to the teens and notice the faint rise and fall of their chests. They were alive.

"Thank goodness…" he breathed as he inspected his surroundings.

It was still night out, and by the looks of it, well past into the evening. If the man had to guess, it would be about midnight or so. The full moon reflected off of the still water of the lake.

Then his nose scrunched at the smell of rotting fish, and he saw the remains of the Murklurkers strewn about.

"Well then, at least they are all dead for good now." Gildarts' eyes widened as he set sight upon a boat, brand new, with a SE-Engine, resting on the sand bar. As he took a step towards the boat, his boot crunched a little bit.

Looking down, he saw that he had stepped on a mangled piece of Murklurker. His eyes opened wide when he saw what was next to it.

A black feather.

He kneeled and picked up the feather. As he felt it, he realized that the tiny pinpricks along the feather were made of steel. And moving his finger along the top of the feather he found that it was incredibly sharp.

He'd seen the feather before. Every time he'd felt he was about to die but somehow survived on an S-class job. The exact same feather.

Why did he risk his life? In order to grow stronger and surpass _him._ In order to acquire money so as to remove all financial worry. All in order to get payback for what _he_had done. For what he had done to him. For what he had done to Fairy Tail, to Makarov…

But most importantly, for what he had done to Laxus and to _her…_

Had Gildarts believed in religious icons and the sort, he would have assumed the feather were from an angel, but he was skeptic and this only reinforced his feeling that someone or some_thing_ was following him...and, maybe, protecting him.

Whoever owned the feather, it knew him.

He walked over to the teens and inspected them, seeing the tiny holes in their arms. So whomever this feather must have belonged to, he or she must have been able to acquire Murklurker antivenom. In addition, the mysterious protector must have brought the boat. It made Gildarts grim, knowing that someone had such knowledge of their activities.

He hoisted the two teenagers over his shoulders and prepared to move out. Then Coby groaned audibly.

"Ow…"

"Awake and alive, huh?" remarked Gildarts with a toothy grin.

The very exhausted pinkette returned the grin with a smile of his own. "Looks like it. Someone saved us I suppose."

Gildarts nodded. "How's Mirajane?"

"Okay. I was awake earlier but was too exhausted and strained. Ow."

"Your ribs?"

The boy groaned but gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

"Then let's get to the hospital before we inform the mayor about the dead fish." He got a moan in response.

He gently placed the two on the boat and got on, placing the SE-Plug around his arm, pouring his magic into the engine and listening to it purr with power.

"I'll make the trip slow for ya. How about that Coby?" He heard the still breathing of Coby in front of him; he'd gone back to sleep. Gildarts gave a grin and looked up to the heavens as the boat puttered towards the Pine Gorge entrance.

_"You have my thanks...even if you do fancy yourself an angel."_

Gildarts grabbed the two teenagers and hoisted them over his shoulders as he stepped from the rental boat on to the docks. He saw a clock on a nearby lamppost showing the time; it was a couple of hours past midnight, and fog rolled about in the streets. He walked along the barren streets, barely a sound coming from the town other than the occasional hoot from an owl or a cat darting across the streets. He saw the hospital and walked on into the dimmed lobby, where the female receptionist looked at him sleepily.

"Yo."

The front desk lady raised her head, rubbed her eyes, and looked surprised. Before she could give a yell of surprise, Gildarts put a finger over his lips and made a "shhh" sound.

"The kids are exhausted and wounded. Can you get them treated?" The lady nodded and called for the nurses over the intercom.

"Whatever happened to them?"

Gildarts set the two teens on the gurneys and began to walk back to his room.

"I'll explain in the morning." He turned and gave her a grin. "But let's just say that the fishes have been taken care of."

That said, the man returned to his room, took off his cloak, and slumped onto the bed.

* * *

_**(Nasties are in here. Be wary, or feel free to skip)**_

_A cave near the outskirts of Shirk Village._

Another Satyr fell to the wayside, electricity crackling along its body. The tribe of feral half-goat half-man creatures gestured menacingly with their clubs at the mage who had suddenly begun killing their fellows.

Laxus glared at the creatures with contempt, his hands crackling with electricity. His S-class job called for the purge of a tribe of Satyrs in the Miulan Mountains next to Shirk Village near the Fiore-Basco border. Normally, the Council wouldn't approve of jobs near Basco, but considering how the Satyrs had been kidnapping some of the villagers for several days, it was a plea they could not ignore.

It was strange. Satyrs usually stuck to stealing food and tools. It was uncommon for them to kidnap live humans; they were usually too cowardly. When they did, though...

Laxus didn't like Shirk Village. It was cold and dreary, and the people treated him like crap. Fairy Tail, in their minds, sounded like a weak guild, whereas a guild such as Phantom Lord seemed much more intimidating and promising.

The lightning mage had taken the implied insult to heart. So it was that he had turned his slowly burning anger on the satyrs, creatures known to be vicious and cruel to those they captured.

These creatures had captured a dozen or so women from the village...

Another Saytr roared and charged, spiked club raised high. The blonde sidestepped the charge and grabbed the back of the head of creature. He charged his lightning into the creature's head, frying its nervous system. He released it, and it slumped to the ground.

Now the rest of the Satyrs charged, and Laxus could see the captured humans behind them.

"Run to the entrance behind me! I'll hold them off!" The female captives nodded and ran, the Satyrs chasing after them. Laxus turned into lighting and bolted to cut off the beasts from the fleeing humans. He phased back into his physical body and raised his hand. A yellow glowing magic circle appeared under the Satyrs, and lighting surged upward, burning them to a crisp.

"Mr. Mage!" Laxus turned his head to one female brunette, her clothes in tatters but still somehow maintaining an air of modesty.

"There's still a mother and her son in the back of the caverns! They were taken before you arrived! The mother is a blonde and her-"

"I got it! I got it! I'll save them. Now go! Get back to Shirk!" The woman nodded and turned tail, just as Laxus glared back at the growling and barking satyrs.

He raised his hand.

_"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction! Raging Bolt!"_ The lightning bolt fell onto the surviving Satyr cluster. The heat and light washed over Laxus, blinding him momentarily, but he did not budge.

When he regained his sight, he saw nothing but ash and charred earth.

With all the frontward Satyrs dead, Laxus turned into lighting and sped deeper into the cave.

_'Make it in time…make it in time…'_ He phased out of lighting form and landed back on the ground. His mouth opened in a silent _O _when he saw the scene before him.

He saw the Satyr chieftain with his headpiece surrounded by another group of the monsters. He appeared to be munching on something…He could see the maimed and ruined body of a female whose upper body was hidden behind a rock to the beast's right. He could see red near her crotch.

On the other side were the gory remains what appeared to be a male younger than himself. The chieftain turned his grotesque head…and tufts of blonde and pink hair could be seen in its sharp yellow teeth as it glared at the blonde lightning mage.

An innocent child…and an innocent mother…

Magic roared out of his body, causing the tribe to pause. His earphones were overloading with lightning, as it seem to pour out of him like a tempest. His teeth clenched tight in anger.

His muscles began to bulge from his yellow long sleeve shirt, and he grew taller. He heard himself roar as his muscles continued to bulge and grow, and scales appeared on his lower arms. He reopened his eyes, revealing that his pupils had disappeared, leaving only pure glowing white eyes, filled with an anger that knew no bounds. The Satyr chieftain charged.

"**GO BACK TO HELL**!" yelled Laxus.

The cave exploded in yellow fury.

Much akin to the fury of a dragon...

_**(Nasties end)**_

* * *

_Pickerel Town, the next morning._

A feeling of warmth washed over the face of the young Marine as he opened his eyes. He was in a hospital bed, he realized. Off to his right was a window, and from it streamed golden sunlight that landed warmly on his face.

Coby tried to move but couldn't. Any attempt to do so sent pain coursing through every inch of his body.

"'Bout time you're up." Coby turned his head. He saw Mirajane, arms crossed and sitting in the chair next to his bed.

"So…how long am I gonna be cooped up?" Coby had a rough idea of how much damage he'd taken during his fight with the mother Murklurker. He knew he wasn't going back to Magnolia anytime soon.

Mirajane shrugged. "Well…you got two broken ribs. You were lucky they didn't puncture your organs; otherwise we would have lost you last night. You tore nearly all of the muscles in your arms and legs, and about half of your bones are recovering from severe stress. Oh, yeah, and you're still recovering from the poison."

Coby closed his eyes in understanding, and looked downcast.

"I guess this means I won't be recovered in time to be your partner huh?"

Mirajane shook her head.

"The trials aren't for two months. The doctors said that you'll be out of here in a week, but your body will need to recover gradually. With the herbs we got, you'll be ready in a month. Which leaves three weeks to prep for the trials. And what's the old saying..." Mirajane gave him a confident smirk. "What doesn't kill ya make you stronger?"

Coby gave a smile.

"I guess…how's Gildarts doing?" Mirajane shrugged.

"He's shrugging it off. The old man is the second strongest mage in Fairy Tail, after all." Coby leaned his head back and gave a deep breath. There was an uneasy silence in the room.

"So…you want anything to eat?" asked the goth. Coby's response was the growl of his stomach.

"Shrimp."

She sighed.

"Haven't you ever heard of variety?"

"Then get me deep fried, garlic sautéed, Cajun covered, and steak sauce marinated. That's variety." Mirajane could only place her palm on her head and sigh.

"Fine…"

She turned to walk out the door and stopped. Coby looked confused.

"Mira?"

Suddenly she leapt onto him, hugging him by the neck. This caused Coby's pained body to jolt and his eyes widened in pain and surprise.

"Please…" He looked down and saw Mirajane burying her head into his shoulder. He could feel a slight wetness too. "Don't ever do that again…"

"Do what?" She raised her head and glared into his eyes. She seemed to be doing her best to hold back tears. She climbed further onto the bed.

"You almost died to save me! If it weren't for that mystery person saving us we would have never survived! You could have lived! Don't do that again! Don't…do…that…" She buried her head again into his shoulder and hugged him tighter. Coby was flabbergasted.

"Mira…I couldn't stand by and watch you-"

"Promise me! Promise me that if you have a chance at living and if I don't then you live!"

"I couldn't stand by and watch you die! How would Lisanna or Elfman or the rest of the guild have reacted if I didn't try to save you?"

"And how would Lisanna and the others act if you were dead too?"

This made Coby shut his mouth, remembering the kind and spirited younger girl who had taken a liking to him.

"Promise me!" Mirajane's fingers clenched his gown. "If you have a chance to live, don't die for my sake! The same goes for Lisanna or Elfman or Erza or anyone!" The marine could feel the tears as she silently wept. "Please…"

Coby used all of his strength to raise one good hand and placed it on her head. She raised her own head to stare back at his tired yet kind gaze.

"I promise…"

Mirajane's face was now a deep shade of red as she raised her own arms to-

"Oh my!" The Take Over mage turned suddenly, and saw a nurse blushing in the doorway. She looked down and blushed herself.

She was straddling him…and in their position anyone could…

She leapt off, causing Coby to yelp at the sudden movement due to his strained muscles. She stared at the pinkette, her face red and mouth twitching.

"You-I…uh—I'm gonna go get your shrimp now…uh…I…Shrimp idiot!" She ran out of the room, darting past the nurse at full speed. Coby's eyebrows quirked.

"You know…she didn't leave this room while you slept, Mr. Marinford," smiled the nurse as she began unwrapping some of the boy's bandages.

"She didn't?"

"Not from what I've seen. She's a pretty one and you're lucky." Coby's eyes were closed in discomfort as new, tight bandages were wrapped around his arms and legs and abdomen.

"Why do girls always act so weird?"

The nurse only chuckled.

"Once you grow older you'll see why." The nurse left the room, leaving Coby alone as he stared out the window at the bright blue sky.

"Women really are the oddest creatures. Aren't they?"

* * *

_Three days later_

"So Coby won't move for a while?" said Makarov into the Communication Lacrima, his old face in a frown on the ball's surface. Gildarts nodded as he sat down in his hospital bed.

"Yep. Got really banged up fighting the Murklurker mother. I showed mayor the dead fishes and got our reward. It'll help with our medical bill. But he'll be out in a week, two at the most. Then he'll need to take it easy. So I'd recommend giving him the easy jobs, like assisting in restaurants, gardening, that sort of thing."

The dwarf nodded.

"I see then. Oh and Gildarts, I have bad news…you know of Kujira and Smithee, right?" His face looked sullen.

"Those two mages who were going to compete in the trials this year? What happened?"

Makarov only shook his head. Gildarts understood immediately.

"So...how did they die?"

"They went on that job to Charbydis Isle. Laxus told me about it on his way back."

"You mean that job concerning the disappearance of mages? And how did Laxus come across it? Wasn't he at the border?"

"He finished the Satyr Hunt job and stopped by near Sillaville on the way back here to Magnolia. We will host the funeral in two days."

Gildarts sighed.

"It's a shame. Always liked Smithee. And this would've been Kujira's first time competing in the trials, not to mention she had an eye for Wakaba. Poor guy must be taking it hard, even if he is married." Then he noticed that Makarov looked even more sullen, more than would be normal even for the death of two guild members.

"Master. There's something else, isn't there…"

"Laxus was rather quiet about the job he went out on. He did save the people who were captured by the Satyrs…maybe even saved them in time to stop the beasts from committing heinous acts...but he's blaming himself for not saving the few who didn't make it."

Gildarts nodded. Satyrs were a very aggressive species, and they kidnapped women and sometimes children regardless of gender to…he didn't want to think about it.

"Did he stumble across them doing it? The ones he didn't save?"

"Perhaps."

Gildarts sighed. Satyrs were like Murklurkers in that they only deserved extinction.

Though the Crush mage had been fighting monsters for years, he still shuddered at what he had heard.

"Well…have you talked to him?"

"I have. He says he wants to see Coby."

"Well, he's stuck in Pickerel. I'll be heading back eventually to help with the funeral, but Mirajane and Coby will be staying here as the kid recovers for the next week. Laxus can come on down if he likes. Then they can head back to Magnolia together."

"I'll tell him. I'll make the preparations for the funeral, and meet with the other guild Masters regarding the disappearing mages in the Northeast and around Charbydis."

"See you around, Master." Makarov nodded and the lacrima gave a brief flash of light before dimming and returning to its normal state. The auburn haired man gave a sigh and looked out the window. The townspeople seemed much more jovial than usual.

_"The Trials roster just got cut from eight to six. And what the heck is causing those disappearances up in Charbydis?"_ He stood up and stretched his arms a little. He did miss Smithee. Despite his verbal tic of "Smee", he was a good drinking partner. Suddenly the nearby saloon seemed to appeal to him; after all, Smithee always loved a good drink. What better way to remember him?

"Well…time for-" Suddenly he saw a pair of rather pretty ladies walk by the window.

"I heard a hot stud killed the Murklurkers a few days ago!"

"Really Emma? I thought a girl did it?"

"You're wrong about that Marie, it was some hot stud with red or pink hair!" The women giggled. Gildarts gave a smile, licked his hand and slicked back his hair.

"Well then…" He marched on out of the hospital, intent on finding this 'Emma' and 'Marie'.

Smithee probably wouldn't mind if he brought a couple of nice-looking ladies around.

* * *

_That night._

"One at a time, one at a time!" Coby frantically wrote down his signature on several of the hospital guests' arm with a black magic marker. He had to admit, compared to normal pens, magic markers were handy and never dried up. Only on color lacrima, and it was incredibly cheap and in abundance.

"Thanks a lot!" "Yeah, thanks!" said the husband and wife as they departed the room. Coby gave a sigh as he reclined in his hospital chair, tired from the seemingly endless autograph signings, offers for dates, and other assorted deals and gifts over the past hour or so. Including some extra jewels. Mirajane sat in the chair amused.

"Tired?"

"Yeah...where's Gildarts at? I haven't seen him all day."

The goth shrugged.

"Beats me. Though I will admit, you're rather popular with the ladies." She smirked.

"How so?" asked Coby curiously.

Mirajane thought for a moment.

"Oh, you know. Generic popularity." She knew of other potential reasons, like the few scars he had, the glasses he was wearing, or maybe the tight strong muscles and ripped bod-she stopped that thought and looked away.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I thought I heard a 'kya' or something."

Mirajane pulled a one-eighty as her face turned beet red and a hand came up to cover her mouth. She'd said that out loud!

"Probably a bird. Earthland has some strange wildlife." Mirajane sighed in relief.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Coby yelled out. The door opened and the pinkette broke out a smile.

There was Laxus, wearing a long sleeve camo shirt and jeans.

"Laxus? What are you-" The older teenager walked past the goth, ignoring her. "Hey!"

"You okay?" asked Laxus. Coby's smile faded when he saw the look on Laxus' face. It was downcast, sullen.

"Yeah, I'm fine...just need to rest my muscles and let my ribs heal a bit. What about you?"

Laxus sat down and sighed. "I'll live..." He noticed the wide array of balloons and gifts and 'Get Well' cards. "I heard rumors of Fairy Tail mages killing the monsters around here. I take it you killed them?"

Mirajane shrugged.

"Well we couldn't have done it without Gildarts. Oh, and _hello_ to you too." Laxus turned at the goth girl's comment.

"Hi." He turned back to Coby. "I just..."

_"You let them die! You didn't save my wife and son! Damn you! Why didn't you save them!"_ Laxus' memory of the grieving man in Shirk was cut short when Coby spoke.

"Just what?" Laxus sighed again and stared at Coby, smiling.

"It's nothing. Anyways-"

"It is something, Laxus." Mirajane now stood next to them, intrigued and confused. Laxus looked hesitant.

"What's happening? What's going on here?"

Laxus refused to answer.

"Laxus…when you went out on your job, did something happen?"

Laxus raised his head and looked at Coby.

"You're gonna be like gramps is are ya?" he scoffed.

"No I'm not. I've seen that look on your face a few times. It's okay. You can tell me." Coby gave a grunt as he sat straight up. "After all, we're friends. Right?" Now the blonde had his attention on the understanding pinkette.

"Alright…it's just that…Well, I got the job done. Clearing out a den of satyrs, that's all."

"Evil magical creatures, right?" Laxus gave a nod.

"Yeah. Normally they just jack food and tools, but then they suddenly got real bold and started taking people. The mayor sent out an urgent request for help. I took it and went to Shirk Village, near the border, and I purged the Satyrs and freed the captors." Now his shoulders slumped. "But not all of them…"

Coby knew immediately. "Got there too late, huh?"

"A mother and her son…and the mom…" Laxus couldn't say it. "Let's just say that the chieftain did…unspeakable things to her and her son before ripping their heads off…"

Mirajane paled and put her hand over her mouth. "Laxus…" Coby closed his eyes and nodded, gripping his sheets.

"Yes…I understand Laxus. The feeling of failure to save others." In Coby's mind, he was wondering if he should tell him. Tell him of his true origins, of where he came from. He knew what Laxus was feeling; for it was the same feelings that made men join the Marines in order to combat piracy. For pirates did such similar acts. He went over the mental list of acts associated with piracy.

Pillaging. Theft. Vandalism. Assault. Murder. Rape...

"How? How do you know what it means to fail others?" Laxus retorted, his tone rising a bit.

_'That settles it then. No regrets.'_

"Because I was a soldier once before joining Fairy Tail. And I and my comrades did jobs like you did at Shirk Village, to save others and purge evil." Mirajane stared at Coby.

"You're gonna tell him then, I assume?" Laxus stared at the girl in confusion.

"Tell me what?"

"Laxus…" The marine gave a deep breath and exhaled. And he stared at the confused blonde. "You're not gonna believe this...But...What if I told you…that I am not from this world?"

And he explained everything. His world's history, his life, ending up in Earthland, and his skills. Laxus was wide-eyed and open-mouthed at it all.

"So you're telling me…you're from a different world with zero magic, where pirates run rampant, fruits give others magic-like powers, you're a child soldier enlisted in a global military, and your _Rokushiki…_it's not magic?" Coby nodded.

"Yes. Master had a hard time believing it too. But still, after I saved Mira and her siblings from those cultists, Makarov did not care if I used magic or not because I became a comrade to him after I saved them. And besides," Coby gave a grin. "My _Rokushiki_ fooled you and the rest of the guild and everybody! Heck, even in Zakuro and Pickerel they think I can use magic!"

Laxus' mouth was agape, before he smiled ad laughed.

"Fooled me for sure. And when you fought pirates…"

"I saved anyone and everyone who was captured by those pirates during my short career, and I can tell that a few of them had bad things happen to them. The key is that even though you didn't save those two, you saved everyone else, and they can heal. And they will mourn and grieve, yes, but…they will go on, for that's what it means to be alive. To go towards the future. Even though I hadn't lost someone on duty, I know what would happen if I did. In addition, some older colleagues of mine went through what you went through, so if there's anything you need help with, Laxus, you just let me know and I'll help ya to the best of my ability." Laxus looked conflicted yet touched for the compassion the pinkette had shown to him.

"So why? Why tell me this secret? This could be very damaging, you know."

"Because I can trust you. Friends trust each other right?" A flush of emotions went through the blonde lightning mage. How strange, to have a friend so trusting as to tell him the most damaging secret he had. How strange to have a friend who knew his pain.

Laxus was smiling though, smiling at the fact that even though he had failed to rescue the mother and child, he'd saved everyone else. Even though that man had given him nothing but sorrow and anger, Laxus knew that he had done well.

"I see..." he said quietly. "Also…there's another thing." He raised his head, this time towards Mirajane, his face a mask of seriousness. "Mira, Kujira Axly and Smithee Hooker are dead." The goth gasped.

"Those two are dead? How?"

"Who're Kujira and Smithee?" asked Coby.

"Two Fairy Tail mages that were candidates for the S-class Trials. They both went out on a job to investigate some ruins near Charybdis Isle but disappeared for a day or so. Their bodies were found in Sillaville, port town near the island. Cause of death were knives to the throats."

"That's terrible…" muttered Mirajane. While it was true that the S-Class trials would be a bit easier with less people, she couldn't help but feel grief for the loss of the two guild members.

"I take it there will be a funeral for them soon?" she asked.

"Should be taking place right now, but there's something I need your help with." Laxus stared at the both of them.

"And what's that?" Asked Mirajane and Coby.

He closed his eyes. As he did, he remembered the island when the train soared along the coast on his way to Pickerel two days prior...

It had a mountain that speared into the sky, passing the dark clouds, and the rock formation along the mountain made it look like a drill of some sort. Although Laxus could barely see it, he could see the makings of a castle built into the mountain...

"After Coby has healed to full strength, we are going to Charybdis Isle to find and bring Smithee and Kujira's killer to justice."

**And so onward to the next arc. Yes I said I may get onto the S-class trials but I decided one more arc shouldn't hurt. I will say that two more Fairy Tail mages will be present in the next arc. Who they are, I am not telling.**

**And the recent Fairy Tail chapters (as of 10/16/11) were rather unexpected and I had to go back to my mental drawing board regarding the Tenroujima Arc and how to handle the growth of certain characters.**

**And in addition, I didn't plan for the next arc as well, but it just came and went along, because I felt I needed to add in development between the current Strongest Team of Fairy Tail(Coby, Laxus, and Mirajane).**

**And I seem to digging hole for the First Girl Wins deal here huh? Well if Mira wins, she wins. We will have just to wait and see.**

**And yes, I did inspire that Shirk Village/Satyrs thing from Berserk to some extent, although nowhere near as dark as that intended Berserk had it become. Artful and any other readers of Berserk you know what I'm talking about.**

**Next update maybe Darkmask or Never Alone. Then after either of those is updated, I'll update this and Words(both are my most popular works. Thank you readers!).**

**Be sure to review and give your thoughts!**

**Beta'ed by 1 over 0.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I ****do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor, and any other OCs I create.**

* * *

_Pickerel Town._

"Charybdis Isle?" Coby asked.

"Yes. I know what we are doing is dangerous…but we can't let the killers get away with what they've done," said Laxus, glowering. "No one kills a Fairy Tail mage and gets away with it."

"Is Master even approving of this?" asked Mirajane, crossing her arms. The blonde shook his head.

"Master only knows I'm visiting you guys in Pickerel. Now I'm gonna stick around for a few days. Once Coby's up we'll head out."

"Laxus, I understand you want to avenge them, but I might lag behind you. Even when I'm back up and walking my body will need to recover.".

"That's fine. You have that precognition skill right?"

"Well…yeah I still do. But one thing I've noticed that it only pops up when someone wants to kill me."

"Then me and Mirajane will protect you, and you can give us an advantage against the killers with that skill. Speaking of, it sounds a lot like magic. How did you acquire it?" Coby scratched his head.

"I'm thinking of how and when I got that ability. It first popped up back in Zakuro when we were fighting Youbara, but on this job I saw the future several times." Laxus brought a hand to his chin and began to think.

"Maybe when that Blackbeard guy hit you with that dial thing, it could have given you magic?" asked Mirajane.

"Impossible. There's no way a normal human can acquire magic. You're born with it or without it. Once we get back home and heal a bit, we'll look around the library back at the Guild and in Era," said Laxus.

"Era?" Asked the pinkette in curiosity.

"It's the home of Fiore's Magic Council, the governing people in charge of affairs behind mages. In addition, it has the largest library in the nation," answered the blonde as he took a seat.

"Then what would be the biggest library in the world? I mean Fiore is only one country."

"It's a toss up between Shimasaki's archives way way north-east of here in the country of Aozora, or Enca to the west. Enca is a neutral nation like us that focuses on collecting knowledge of the world," answered Laxus. "Not that Era's library is bad or anything."

"Excuse me?" Said a voice as all the room's occupants turned and saw a nurse at the door holding a kit. "Um, Mr. Marinford, it's time to change your bandages before you go to bed."

"Ah okay. Hey Mira." The silver haired goth turned towards him.

"Yeah?"

"You still gonna get me dinner right?" Mirajane scoffed.

"Course I am. I haven't forgotten about you, so don't think of me so little like that."

"Well…if you want you can go out to dinner after you bring back my shrimp. Maybe you can go with Laxus too!" The marine smiled. Both mage stared at him in disbelief.

"Huh?" asked Laxus, bewildered.

"Why would say something like that?" asked Mirajane, a hint of threat in her tone.

"Well…it must be pretty lonely eating alone. And after you bring me back dinner and after I go to sleep, you two can have fun!"

"Isn't she your girlfriend though?" asked Laxus cautiously. Coby held out his arm as the nurse began to unravel his bandages.

"Only till the Trials end. We're still testing the grounds for this relationship deal after all," replied Coby. Mirajane had been oddly silent.

"Mira?" Mirajane stared at Coby, clenching her hands tightly. Neither he or Laxus noticed.

"It's nothing. I'll get you your dinner and me and Laxus will find something." She turned and left the room.

"I'll be back soon with her," said the blonde.

"I'll be waiting." Laxus left the room and Coby turned to his nurse.

"You know that girl does like you a lot," she said. Coby turned towards her as he winced a little as she rolled a bandage on his right arm.

"I know Mira and I are in a relationship. We're sticking together until I help her become an S-Class mage. What's up?" The nurse pulled back Coby's blankets and went to work on his abdomen.

"Well you say that you're together only temporarily, yet she does like you."

"I like Laxus and Gildarts and my other guildmates too. What does that have to do with it?" asked Coby, confused. "Me and Mira are boyfriend and girlfriend, and those are just titles. Even after the S-Class Trials are over," he looked up at the ceiling, smiling, "we'll still be friends. Nothing will have changed except some title we use in public." He winced as she finished placing a new bandage on his chest.

"So you and that Mirajane girl…How confusing."

"What's confusing about it?" Coby paled. "You didn't expect me to be…uhh…you know…_boink _her or anything right?"

"Well in some parts of the world-"

"Ah come on you gotta be kidding me! First the drinking age! Now this!"

* * *

_A week later, on train en route to Sillavile. Northern Fiore coastline_

Coby gazed out the window as the ocean came into view. It was a bright and sunny day, and he could see some tents out on the beach.

Most children his age would be ecstatic to have fun in the ocean. But Coby was not an ordinary child, not by any means. He was a Marine, a soldier on the sea. He knew the dangers that lurked beyond the low, almost gentle waves. He knew of the weather out there, the storms and squalls that could strike at any moment.

The only relief was that Earthland's oceans were not the pirate-infested Grand Line, or the unruly and bloody South Blue ocean, home to mass murderers like the Supernovas Eustass "Captain" Kidd and his subordinate Killer.

He had been released from the hospital the day before, and had been on the train since. Much of his body was still bandaged, but so long as he didn't do anything strenuous, he would be fully recovered. The hospital had thrown in some pain medication by way of a thank you.

Laxus was wearing a purple shirt with black flowers and dark blue jeans. His eyes were closed and his earphones droned with a music Coby was unfamiliar with. When he asked him, Laxus called it "classic rock'n'roll". He sat across from him, listening to his music in his own little world.

Mirajane wore a black blazer and white tankini with black shorts, with her thigh-high stockings. She was sitting next to the marine, her head on his shoulder. She had been oddly quiet the last few days, ever since Laxus arrived. Coby found it uncomfortable.

"Hey Mira."

"Yeah?"

"You homesick?" Mirajane shuffled back and stared at him, her blue eyes meeting his dark ones.

"Why do you ask?" There seemed to be some sort of deflation in her tone, as if she was depressed.

"Well you've been quiet for days. Miss Lisanna and Elfman?"

"I kind of…I mean, I've been gone for over two weeks. I'm sure Lisanna and Elfman are worried." Coby smiled.

"It's alright. I'm sure Gildarts told them about how we killed the evil fish and saved the townspeople. And besides, Lisanna has Natsu to have fun with right?" Mirajane's eyes narrowed.

"That's what I'm afraid of. I don't like her spending time around Natsu." She stood up and stretched.

"What's wrong with Natsu?" Mirajane scoffed as she sat back down.

"He's loud, brash and demanding. He's in way over his head too many times. He got Lisanna in danger once with a Vulcan and…"

"What's a Vulcan?"

"Monkeys that can perform spells and can talk like a kindergartner. Anyways, he's a bad influence on her. Sure he's cute, and it shows when he cries, but that doesn't cut it in my book."

"Well…you could give him a chance. That flying cat seemed to take a liking to the both of them."

"The cat's name is Happy, and those two raised him ever since he hatched. He kinda looks up to them as parents." Coby raised his eyes.

"Cats hatch out of eggs?"

"Apparently." There was an uneasy silence, Laxus oblivious as he bobbed his head and tapped his fingers on his knees in tune with the muffled music.

"Hey Coby."

"Yeah?" Coby looked down towards the goth. She looked uneasy.

"Do you like me?"

"Like you?" Coby was taken by surprise. Mirajane looked at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Her voice had a definite edge.

"Uh…well…Of course I do. I like you Mirajane."

"Truthfully?" Coby countered her gaze with a smile.

"Truthfully," he answered.

"Then what about after the trials, after I become S-Class. Will you…" She paused again.

"Like you still? Of course! You're my friend Mira! Sure we kinda got off on the wrong foot back at the Guild, but all that's water under the bridge right?"

Mirajane stared back at him, and saw only sincerity. She smiled and sat down again.

"Okay…just wanted to know." She gave a yawn, hefted her knees up onto the seat and snuggled close into him.

"Don't move from this spot." Coby looked reluctant.

"I can't?" She opened a narrowed eye at him.

"Stay. Got it?" He said nervously, and he leaned back into the chair and gazed out the window and out at the coast.

The ocean…It brings back so many memories of home. His real home.

"Hey mommy look! Dolphins!" Coby craned his head back and saw a red haired young boy point out the window, his parents nearby.

"I know! Don't they look cute?" Coby couldn't get a good look. Someone was sitting between him and the family, reading a newspaper.

"Yeah they are!" The young toddler laughed along with his parents.

Parents…

It made the marine clench his fist. He had more friends in this world. He was in a more peaceful world. But his heart could not let go. He could not let of the love he had for his parents, his friend Helmeppo, his teacher Garp…

And the man who inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a Marine…

Fairy Tail was said to have archives. His first act after he returned would be search for anything that related to his old world. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a way home.

"But do I want that?" he whispered to himself.

While his old world had the people he held most closest to his heart…it was also much more dangerous. Marines dealt with death, such was their profession. They faced revolutionaries, their civil wars spreading like a cancer across his world. And the piracy, a plague older than he was, all thanks to Gold Roger's giant _Fuck You _to the world before he was executed at Loguetown.

He began to hate himself. He hated himself for wanting to neglect his parents, to neglect Helmeppo and Garp, to neglect meeting _Luffy_ of all things. To neglect his old dream of becoming an admiral.

He closed his eyes and tried to force the cheerful laughter of the family behind out. He feared that he would need to break something if he listened to them any longer.

And he feared the Take Over girl's fury should he wake her up.

'_Luffy…what would you do in my shoes right now?'_

* * *

_That night. Sillaville Train Station_

"I'm cold," shivered Mirajane as she hugged her arms around her body.

"We're in northern Fiore and it's near winter. Of course it's gonna be cold Mira," said Coby as he and Laxus carried their bags on the train platform. Coby was dressed in his old Marine attire, including his blue kerchief tucked in around his neck. He looked up towards Laxus.

"You cold?"

"I've handled worse."

"Well can we at least expect some warm hot food? I mean any cold fishing town would have a restaurant or tavern with food like that right?" The trio handed Mirajane her suitcase and they walked off the platform, past the ticket booth and onto the street.

Sillaville was as, Coby had said, a fishing port town. The night was crisp and cold, and the bars, diners, and restaurants were buzzing with activity. The road was made of cobblestone and brick, and the nearby church cathedral, while not as towering as Magnolia's Kardia Cathedral, was the biggest building in the town.

"All right. Let's find a place to sleep at and we'll hunt for clues till then."

"Shouldn't we get some sleep though Laxus?" The blonde shook his head.

"We've been asleep the whole time on the train, so we'll never get to sleep now." The marine nodded in understanding.

"That's true. I had my cycle interrupted plenty of times while on duty. So we reserve a room…"

"Rooms. I'm getting my own" piped in Mirajane, her breath misting in the cold air.

"Two rooms," corrected Coby. "Get some hot dinner then spend the night looking for clues. That work?" Laxus nodded.

"Kujira and Smithee were slain at Charybdis Isle," Laxus pointed towards the bay, which was smothering in fog. "So tomorrow we head there." The two younger teens nodded in agreement.

"Hey guys, I gotta use the restroom," said Coby as they stopped by a fountain in a park. The fountain had a statue of beautiful women pouring water out of a jar while her immodest parts were covered by some serpent.

"Kay, we'll wait. Don't take long." The marine nodded and ran off to the nearby tavern, named the _Shark's Maw_.

He heard loud voices, the rumble of conversations, laughter, the typical scene of any fishing town tavern. Coby weaved and ducked through the bustling crowd.

"Excuse me, pardon me. Restroom" he said as he side stepped a stocky waitress carrying some glasses of rum and onto a table with old bearded fishermen, who laughed and toasted.

Once inside the restroom, Coby chose a stall and locked the door behind him. As he undid his trousers he heard two men walk in.

"Ah man, nothing beats ale and chips after a hard day at sea, eh Donny?" chortled an old and gruff voice.

"No kidding 'bout that Pete! We made quite the catch! Say did you hear the news 'bout those mages?" The voice was as gravely as his companion, with a rougher edge. Coby pressed his ear against the metal-plastic wall.

"Yeah. Heard they went to Char Isle ruins and had their throats cut out. Poor fellows."

"Well that's whatcha git fer goin there. Char Isle be cursed no thanks to the Blue Baron," said Donny. The marine heard hear loud trinkling.

'_Blue Baron?'_ Thought Coby as he flushed.

"Yeah. Though if I heard right, mages do jobs for them that pay'em, so that's the one to blame."

"No kiddin there." Coby could hear the trinkling stop and the old men wash their hands.

"Well, Sillaville got another reminder at least. Stay away from Char Isle and the Blue Baron's castle."

"I also heard that little girl who went there and still hasn't come back. Must be dead."

"Wasn't that lassie the one who hired 'em?"

"I think so. She went with 'em after all."

"Excuse me!" The old men turned around and saw Coby out of his stall.

"Yeah? What do ya want stranger?" The fisherman named Pete had a white beard and a large nose.

"I was wondering…Could you tell me more about this Blue Baron?" The other fisherman Donny washed his hands next. He turned his head, revealing a small brown beard with no mustache.

"You not from around here boy?" Coby shook his head.

"On vacation and I couldn't help but notice about this Blue Baron guy. What do you know about him?" Donny dried his hands as Coby began to wash his.

"Well…If it suits ya," The old fisherman gripped Coby's shoulder as they walked out of the restroom and into the bar. "The tale goes like this…"

* * *

_Ten minutes later_

"He's taking forever," growled Mirajane as she paced back and forth, blowing on her hands. Laxus was sitting on a bench nearby.

"Gee whose fault is that?" he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"What's up with that tone of yours?"

"Maybe if you were a bit less demanding and let Coby use the restroom back on the train he wouldn't be taking so long."

"Well I needed my beauty sleep!" huffed Mirajane as she turned away. "How else do you expect me to keep my good looks? I can't afford to have bags under my eyes." Laxus gave her a deadpan stare.

"Let me take a guess: To keep up with Erza."

"Are you comparing me to that stubborn redhead? I'm leagues better than her!"

'_Try saying that to her face and walk away from a scratch,_' thought the lightning mage.

"It's because of the bandages. And it's not as if he'll hook up with a waitress girl to and from the restroom. It's less than thirty yards."

"Why say that waitress part?"

"No reason."

"Sorry for the wait guys!" Laxus and Mirajane turned towards the tavern entrance and saw Coby ran up to them. And he had a lipstick mark on his cheek…

"Where did you get _that_?" seethed Mirajane, her shoulders shivering harder. Coby blinked.

"Oh this? I gave the waitress a tip for hearing her side of story on a clue I found! It was after I talked with those old guys and joined in. She gave me a peck for the talk after I gave her a tip for sampling some of Pete and Donny's fish and chips."

"Donny? Pete?" asked Laxus.

"I'll explain later at the hotel." Mirajane's anger faded at Coby's grin. "I think I may have found our culprit!"

* * *

**Well there you have it. The beginning of the Char Isle arc. I changed some things around originally than what I had planned, but I went with what came naturally, writing as I go.**

**And sorry for the delay. School, ME2, Hunter x Hunter manga(one of the best experiences I have ever had reading a series of fiction. Thanks a ton Artful Lounger! Seriously, read it. It's amazing and can raise your IQ), and writing a paper and Geology study guide for a final. And RL issues as well.**

**I may have also chosen the right girl for Coby, but who it is I ain't telling and it won't happen till way down the road. And I thought out how this year's S-Class trials will go as well…**

**Beta'ed by 1 over 0 and Juubi-K.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor, and any other OCs I create.**

* * *

_Sillaville. Otter Inn._

"Okay, spill the beans," demanded Mirajane. "Who's this Blue Baron guy?"

The trio sat in their hotel room next to a fireplace, the fire lacrima warming the room and covering everything in a red glow. Mirajane was on the bed, Laxus was on a couch, and Coby sat in a nearby chair.

"You seemed rather stoked about this," noted Laxus as he took a sip from a water bottle. The clock dinged as the hands hit 2:00 A.M.

"It's because I've seen this before," replied Coby. "Those old guys I talked to before? They're intimidated, scared of going near Charybdis Isle, 'cause of the Blue Baron's curse."

"So what's the curse?" demanded Mirajane. Coby gave her a knowing grin.

"The thing is this: there is no curse. Or at least I'm pretty sure there isn't."

"No curse?" Laxus' eyebrows quirked up. "How are you sure about that? Earthland isn't like your world; Gramps has told me tons of stories about cursed lands."

"That's what I mean. The old guys I met told me that _'no one has ever returned from Charybdis Isle, home of the Blue Baron's castle, surrounded by dark forests where the spirits roam and the wind howls'_. How would anyone know about it in so much detail?"

Both mages regarded him thoughtfully.

"Well, I saw the castle from the train…" mused Laxus.

"You may _'think__'_ it looks like a castle, but for all we know it could be ruins or a decaying mansion," insisted the pinkette. "No one could get that good a look because of the fog. A bit convenient, isn't it? A fog surrounding a _'__cursed__'_ island that kills the crew of any ship that sails in?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" mused Mirajane."But then again, it might just be an old wives' tale. I think we've all seen plenty of those."

"But the thing is, people have _actually gone missing_ there. If it's not a curse, and _something_ is going on there, then –"

"It's some kind of a ruse?" Laxus was a bit surprised. He'd never expected Coby to prove to be so perceptive.

"It could still be some kind of hazard," argued Mirajane. "Rocks, or shoals, or something."

"Sea hazards that kill the entire crew and send the ship back unharmed?"

Mirajane sat back defeated.

"It's definitely a man-made rumour," continued Coby eagerly. "And who would stand to gain from such a rumour?"

"Pirates," said Laxus, the gears suddenly clicking in his head.

"Are you implying that pirates are to blame?" Mirajane asked.

Coby nodded. "I had a similar assignment like this. The people of a port town named Manchez were scared out of their wits by a 'demon island' that would swallow up anyone who went there. It was actually a group called the Daggerfang pirates, who'd stolen a load of dry ice from the Marines in East Blue. They used the dry ice and their fog dials to create a ton of fog, and they'd attack anyone who got lost in it. Me, my friend Helmeppo, and a force of marines were sent to deal with them." Coby put a finger to the scar on his forehead.

"It's how I got this scar, when I fought their captain. His name was Daggerfang Russo, with a bounty of 12.5 million berries!"

"12.5 million! Did you actually get that much money?" spluttered Mirajane. Coby looked a bit deflated.

"I got a 1 million berry bonus to my paycheck, but because I was a Marine, well… Only non-military hunters can cash in on bounties."

"I see. What's the highest bounty you've heard of?" asked Laxus interestedly.

"Well…" Coby thought carefully. As much as he wanted to mention Luffy being a 300 million berry man, he didn't want to give his guildmates the impression he was cozy with the most dangerous pirate around. Not that Luffy did anything bad, really. For all his talk of being a pirate, he was the nicest person Coby had ever known. He'd known it ever since they had first met aboard Alvida's ship. Meeting him again in Water 7 had only reinforced that feeling.

"I know one! The Pirate Empress Boa Hancock's first bounty was 80 million, and another pirate had a bounty at 310 million! His name was…" Coby rubbed his head, trying to remember the name on the Wanted Posters he would see on the billboards. "…Eustass Kid I think."

"Your world sounds like a pretty dangerous place," mused Laxus. "But we're not there now, so let's focus. You said that the fog was really just a ruse created to scare people?"

Coby nodded, arms crossed, a satisfied look on his face.

"Yep. I'm sure it's the same case here. All we have to do is sail past the fog and defeat the pirates. In fact, I bet these guys are the ones responsible for Smithee and Kujira's deaths."

Laxus nodded at Coby's suggestion.

"Alright then, we sail tomorrow. For now, let's explore the town a bit. We don't need to sleep yet, and I'm sure you two aren't tired."

Mirajane shrugged, but Coby shook his head.

"Doctor's orders were for me to rest up as much as possible."

The silver-haired goth opened her mouth to protest, wanting to tour the empty town at Coby's side. Then she remembered the extent of his wounds, and reconsidered.

"Alright, do what you want then," said the silver-haired girl. She stood up from the bed and headed for the bathroom, noticing as she passed that the ice bucket was empty. She rolled her eyes.

"I'll be right back. I'm getting some ice from the machine." She grabbed the bucket and headed towards the door.

"Alright, I'll go out around town," replied Laxus. "There's bound to be a bar or two open. Can't hurt to gather a little more info."

"You could always go to that one where I went to the bathroom. 'The Shark's Maw', I think the name was," added the marine.

"Right."

Mirajane had already left, and was heading down the hall. As she did so, she noticed another person.

The man was tall, around Gildarts' height, and had a similar muscular build. What struck her first was his long multicolored hair, reaching to be back of his knees and braided together, their colors white, blue, green and pink along each strand. As the distance closed, she saw the slight smile on his sharp-featured face. He wore trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, both in pink, with a blue vest and blue wrappings around his lower arms. The girl felt blood rush to her face as they passed, though if the man had noticed her he did not react.

_'Not bad…'_ thought the goth as she passed him.

Then, suddenly, she dropped. It was as if the entire world had suddenly collapsed on her shoulders, and she fell, her knees folding underneath her, the ice bucket rolling away, forgotten.

The man kept on walking, smiling as he did.

Mirajane had barely enough courage to turn her head and look at the man's retreating back.

And then he did the same, and his lupine gaze met hers for just a fraction of a second: enough to crush her soul into a paper ball. He then chuckled, and walked away.

It was as if death incarnate had passed her by.

_'__Who...who...is that guy?'_ She stood up, her self-control returning, and continued on her errand.

By the time she returned to the room, Laxus had already gone. Coby was in bed, sipping a glass of water. He looked up as she came in, and immediately noticed her pale face.

"Hey Mira, you okay?"

For a few moments she could only stare into space, her every thought suppressed by the memory of that sheer aura of killing intent.

She then ran to the bathroom. Coby heard retching, and looked down at his cup of water.

"Maybe the water's bad?" he thought aloud, bewildered. "I heard drinking water from a different area could upset your stomach..."

As Mirajane flushed the toilet, she felt like banging her head against the wall and cursing his obliviousness. But even then she knew that if he found out he would worry, and try to hunt the man down. Coby had been a Marine before, and they had hunted villains in his own world, hadn't they?

_'No...I can't tell him. He's still injured and still trying to recover. I'll just pretend I never met that guy. I can just go out on the town and get some food and drinks and forget this night ever happened...__'_ thought the Take Over mage to herself. As she washed her hands she heard knocking.

"Your stomach upset, Mira?" asked the marine from the other side of the door.

"Yeah...I had some water to drink while you were in that bar when we got here. Drinking fountain," she replied.

"Ah, okay then. Watch out for that when you go out, and look out for strangers. It's quite late."

He stepped aside and let Mirajane walk out.

"Ice is in the bathroom," she told him. "Now I need to go find some place that's open for dinner. I'll be back soon." She headed for the door as Coby sat down near one of the beds.

"Okay, I'm going to bed." Coby headed over to his suitcase and shuffled through his neatly folded clothes. He heard the door click as he changed out of his shirt into a wife-beater and beige grime shorts. He rummaged around in his suitcase and grabbed a small bottle, the medication for his strained muscles and weary bones. He opened the bottle, dumped out two pills, and quickly swallowed them.

The marine slipped under the covers and turned off the light, allowing sleep to take him as the clock ticked 2:10.

* * *

_The next day..._

"This shrimp is delicious!"

"Quit being so loud! You're causing a scene!"

"Look who's talking…"

The Fairy Tail trio sat at a harbor-side diner, the Clam's Shell, under the sunlight around a red-checkered table. The air was cold and chipper despite the sun being out. Out in the water, beyond the boats and the squawking seagulls, Charybdis Island was a dark smudge behind a thick coating of fog.

"I can't help it! The shrimp back in Pickerel and Magnolia are nothing compared to seaside town seafood like this!" replied the marine as he dove his fork into another helping of the treasured crustaceans. Mirajane kept to her chicken Caesar salad and Laxus slowly chewed his shark fillet and rice.

"Magnolia is out by the sea too," said Mirajane. Coby shrugged.

"It's probably the local cooking style," mused Laxus. "The style and feel of the town implies that it's been here a while, so they'd have had plenty of time to perfect their recipes."

"What he said," Coby muttered with his mouth full. He took swallowed down the food. "Who's buying?"

"You're still on a tight budget so I'll buy this time," said the blonde as he set a wad of bills down on the table. Mirajane scarfed down her salad and took some bites from the bread that was served with the late noon lunch.

"Ready to rent a boat?" asked the marine. Mirajane drank a glass of water and exhaled.

"Now I am."

The trio stood up and left the outside parlor, walking down towards the docks. Men and kids sat at the water's edge with their lines in the water, hoping for a bite from the fish swimming below. Coby couldn't help feel a bit nostalgic. His old house had been right on the ocean and he and his father…

He stopped himself. He couldn't be dwelling on that now. They were going straight into a possible pirate den, and Coby had no platoon of trained Marines at his back, or an armed Marine warship to support them. Instead he had with him a girl who could transform into a demon and harness lightning, water, and darkness, and a young man who could call upon the thunder as easily as he might breathe.

In retrospect, his chances were actually pretty good.

It took only a few minutes to reach the dock and rent a boat, Laxus and Mirajane splitting it fifty-fifty. Laxus placed the SE-plug around his arms, and Coby sat near the head of the boat. Mirajane sat in the center with their belongings.

"Hit it Laxus," said Coby. The blonde nodded. The boat puttered softly before roaring to life, and the trio headed towards the fog.

The clerk at the rental stand watched them go. He was of middle age and was balding a little.

"Oh no, don't tell me they're heading towards Charybdis…" he murmured. He had seen their insignia, marking them as part of the popular Fairy Tail guild. Two other mages, with that same insignia, had gone there with a young woman only a week or so earlier. The two young men had been found dead in their boat, and the woman…

The old clerk shook his head, driving away those dark thoughts as he heard footsteps coming down towards his shop. He turned and saw the person enter his small store.

"Ah! Welcome to Sillaville Sea Rentals. What can I do for you?"

The customer gave him a smile.

"How long would it be until a rental becomes available?" oiled the man in a suggestive tone. The clerk took stock of him and his eyes widened.

_'__Talk about hair! Is he in some circus?' _His hair was indeed amazing, being as it was nearly hip-length and rainbow-coloured. This, coupled with his garish pink and blue outfit, marked him out as an eccentric. However…his eyes were more predatory than the average man's; like a fox's, or a demon's.

"Well uh…I think the next rental isn't due for…" He checked his register, eyes flicking back and forth across the entries. "Another three hours? I apologize for the inconvenience. My last set of customers took the last rental."

The man chuckled.

"Oh don't you worry about it," he said lugubriously. "I am content to wait."

The devil exited the store and sat down near the dock, his back against the wall. The clerk followed him, curious as to what so strange a man would do to pass the time.

He was playing with a deck of cards. He had two sets, the one on the left stacked, the other spread out.

"I'm gonna play me some solitaire and card-building," the man said, having noticed the clerk's presence. "Interested?"

The clerk couldn't help but be disturbed by how the words came off his tongue like smooth and wet oil. And his narrow eyes, along with that smile, just creeped him out.

"Um…I'm gonna go out to get lunch in town. I'm assuming you will be waiting here?"

The multi-haired man gave him a smile and a nod as he began stacking up the cards.

"Yep. I'll be right…here."

"Um, okay then…well…" He began to slowly walk away. "I'll be back." The clerk placed the 'Gone for Lunch' sign on his shop and all but ran away up the harbor, leaving the odd man to himself.

Not that he cared or anything.

As he drew a card, he noticed it was the Queen of Spades. The spade, in this case, was coloured not black but silver. His smile deepened.

"I wonder what that little girl would be doing right now?" the man mused aloud as he placed the queen on a silver king on his solitaire set to his left. He drew another card, a Four of Hearts, and placed it delicately on his slowly building house of cards.

Even as a gust of wind came in from the ocean, sweeping the harbour with a slight breeze, none of the cards as much as budged. But his hair did, momentarily revealing a red mark on the back of his neck. The breeze settled down, covering the mark. He turned towards the misty and towering Charybdis Isle.

"Charybdis Isle. I wonder what makes you such a riot. Are you really a cursed island? Or something else entirely?" He set a card delicately on his slowly rising house. He took another card from his opposing deck, a Joker, and placed it behind his King of Clubs, the clubs being colored yellow and the King holding lightning bolts in his hands in place of the traditional swords. The Joker was garbed in a white and blue outfit, and his skin was a healthy shade of pink.

"Either way…" His eyes held an eager glint as he narrowed his gaze towards the island. "I have a feeling that my little adventure here is about to get a lot more _interesting…"_

* * *

_The sea._

"Okay, hold up!" barked Mirajane, raising her voice over the loudspeaker. Laxus and Coby looked up.

"What's up?"

"Stop the boat," said the silver-haired girl. Laxus began to slow the boat down.

"What's up, Mira?" asked the marine. The boat slowly puttered to a stop just before the wall of fog. It was at least fifty meters thick, if Coby knew anything about fog, which he did.

"I'm going to scout a little, find a safe route." The goth stepped up to the gunwale, and her body began to glow. Coby's eyes rose as she jumped into the water, her body changing shape. And where Mirajane once was there appeared a deep gray Barracuda, with a dark purple bow around the head. Coby gaped in amazement.

"Wow, Mira, is that you?"

The streamlined predator rolled its eyes.

"Of course it is. My She-Devil isn't the only animal I can take over, you know. Kind of a prerequisite for Take Over mages if they want to Take Over higher tier magical creatures." Her voice was somehow unaffected by her new aquatic form.

"Smart move," complimented Laxus. The Barracuda bobbed her head. She noticed her bow flapping over her.

"Oh, Coby, please take this bow off. Need to blend in and this would stick out."

The marine complied and reached down, albeit slowly.

"Well? Hurry up!"

"Sorry, it's just that…well, Barracuda from my world are rather vicious. They're known to take bites off of ships and…"

"I ain't biting now. Am I?"

"Well no…"

"Then take the freakin' bow then! I won't bite you!"

Coby took a deep breath and reached down and grabbed the bow, untying it from around Mirajane's head.

"That wasn't so hard. Besides, you don't look much different," pointed out the marine.

Laxus and Mirajane stared at him, the latter's eye twitching.

"What…"

Maybe just a little nip would be-

"You still have your blue eyes, though. I think they blend in with the ocean quite nicely!"

Now if a fish could blush, Mirajane would have flushed the colour of his hair.

"True enough," chuckled Laxus. "Considering how you act like a 'cuda even on land, I think this new form suits you."

He got a face full of sea water, making him spit and splutter.

"The hell!"

Mirajane ignored him.

"You guys stay here. I'll go and see if there's a safe place to make landfall." She ducked under the waves and sped along the water, frolicking with the other fishes below.

"Bitch…" muttered Laxus as he spat out seawater. Coby sat back on the seat of the boat. "She can't even take a single joke…"

"I wonder what other forms she can transform into it?" mumbled the pinkette absently. Laxus shrugged.

"Dunno. Also, I was wondering, do barracuda from your world really take bites out of boats?"

"Yep. And they can reach up to several meters in length too."

"God damn, are all of your world's sea creatures on steroids or something?"

"In a nutshell, yes."

Laxus put the SE-Plug around his arm, and the boat started again. Coby sat at the front as Laxus took the rudder, staying a fair distance away from the intensely thick fog.

"And you only have one continent, right? That…Red Line, was it called?"

"Uh-huh."

"How you people survive is beyond me."

Coby shrugged, still staring towards the island as the boat puttered along the water. Laxus then grabbed a magazine from one of their bags and laid it out between them. They began to read, a small antidote to their boredom.

* * *

_Charybdis Isle_

Mirajane swam under the waves and around the various rocks, watching smugly other forms of pike and fish she couldn't recognize off the top of her head giving her a wide berth. She couldn't smirk in her current form, but the sentiment was there.

'_I knew taking over a Barracuda was a right decision. Maybe I should Take Over a shark one day…"_

She could see the ground slowly elevating as she neared the shore. She raised her head above the water to get a better look.

Nothing but fog. She went under and delved further, the ground a few meters away.

_'__Better be careful. Fish don't do well when they run ashore, wait why am I worried? I can just change back! But then my clothes would be all wet…'_

Her clothes would be soaked to the bone. And her underwear would be wet and…

"Fuck!" she yelled, bubbles escaping her mouth and many fish fleeing at the sudden bomb. She growled.

"Thank god I brought more clothes," she muttered darkly to herself as she continued to swim towards shore. Thankfully the first route she swam towards had few obstacles for boats. Only two more meters from the surface to the seafloor, and animal and plant life were becoming scarce.

She decided to poke her head out of the water. She could see the shore, about twenty meters away. She took stock of the island.

Charybdis Isle had mist, a lot of mist, flowing in strange, ethereal rivers through the trees of its dark forests. Mirajane lifted her head higher, her gills still underwater, and saw the mountain that joined the clouds above with the clouds of mist below. She couldn't see the mansion Coby had mentioned earlier; either it was higher up or on another side of the island.

"This'll do." She dived back underwater and back to where she'd separated from her companions.

Of course, they weren't there.

"Did I take a wrong turn? Or did they drift off?" The barracuda grimaced in annoyance as she looked under the waves for any sign of the boat. Nothing but fish.

She slapped her fin against her head.

"Motherfucker! They moved!" She poked her head above the waves to get a better look. Her eyes got blinded a bit by the sun, which was slowly beginning to descend from its apex.

"Hey! Idiots!" she yelled out above the water. No response. She shook her head and dove back under, diving deep beneath the waves.

She then pulled a one-eighty and rocketed towards the surface, spearing towards the sky.

She was able to catch several meters of air. As she arced over the waves, she finally spotted the boat.

_'__Must've drifted,__'_ she thought as she hit the water with a mighty splash. She then swam towards the boat, which did indeed have Coby and Laxus on it. She gulped in some water, winced at the taste, and then spat it at the oblivious boys.

"Hey!" yelled Laxus in surprise. Coby looked over the side…and there was Mirajane. He could practically see her in her human form, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.

"What part of 'stay in one spot' don't you idiots understand?" growled the barracuda as she began to glow with a bright light. Before Coby knew it, she was back to her silver haired human self.

"We moved?" asked Laxus. Coby shrugged.

"I guess we did. Sorry 'bout that Mira. Did you find a good spot?"

The wet girl climbed back into the boat, Coby helping her in. She muttered a "thanks" and nodded.

"Yeah, just follow where I point and-" She laid her eyes on a magazine article that was spread out in front of Laxus.

And she saw nothing but women in bikinis and suggestive poses…

"What?" asked Laxus. Coby gulped at the girl's sour visage.

Two bonks and two grunts of pain followed.

"That's what you get for not paying attention," growled the girl. She reached into her bag, pulled out a towel, and began drying herself off. Coby and Laxus rubbed their heads in tandem. The pinkette took a moment from attending to his sores to hand the goth her the purple bow.

"Thank you." She took it and wrapped it around her hair, returning it to its pony-tail shape. She sat at the head of the boat as Laxus stowed the Sorcerer Weekly magazine into his bag.

"So I assume it's heavily forested, right?" asked Coby.

"Yeah," answered Mirajane.

"We can make camp on the beach, then scout about and find out what's going on," declared Laxus.

"But I thought that…" Mirajane interjected.

"I know what Coby has said. But this is Earthland, not whatever world Coby comes from. Curses happen. Remember that cursed armor that killed seven people? We can't chance it. We'll have to look about carefully before charging in."

"I understand, but what about…"

The boat suddenly rocked, causing its occupants to stagger. Coby's eyes rose and he felt his heart skip a beat.

"A rock?"

"Maybe," answered Laxus. The trio inspected the floor of their boat as they entered the fog. There didn't seem to be any signs of damage…

"Okay Laxus, kill the engine. From here, we paddle in," said Coby. Laxus took off his SE-Plug and the engine died, causing the boat to sputter and slow down. The trio took the paddles and began paddling forward, trying and for the most part failing to keep the noise down.

"Land ho," whispered Coby loudly.

"Huh?"

"I can't see anything Coby, what are you saying?" asked Mirajane. Coby looked at them incredulously.

"I can see the outline of trees. Can't you guys?" Coby seemed puzzled. He could see the faint outlines of the slowly incoming shoreline. Why couldn't his two friends? Laxus shrugged as he plunged his oar back into the water.

"Your perception is probably screwy. I mean, Lady Devilness did hit your head."

"Watch it sparky."

Suddenly the boat jerked. Coby used his paddle to test the water, and he felt land.

"Told ya," said the marine. Laxus and Mirajane looked surprised, but then nodded.

"Okay, maybe it was my eyes. I mean, I was underwater for a half hour or so," muttered Mirajane. Laxus said nothing as he stood up and took off his shoes and pants, causing Mirajane to avert her eyes. He hopped into the water and began pushing the boat. There was a splash, and a shirtless and pantsless Coby joined him. Mirajane stayed on the boat, her eyes kept pointedly away from the underdressed males, her cheeks flushed.

"At least give a girl some warning…" she muttered to herself. Soon the trio was on dry land, and the boys stood shivering wetly on the sand.

"Thanks," muttered Laxus. Both of them were in boxers, clinging rather too tightly.

"No prob…" muttered Coby through chattering teeth. Mirajane threw them some towels.

"Just get your dry clothes before you catch something! I'll start a fire." The girl stepped onto the sand, set her bag down next to a pine tree, and began inspecting the area for any firewood.

* * *

_Sillaville. Two hours later._

The Sillaville Sea Rental clerk returned to his shop from the back and noticed one of his boats returned. He walked through his store and opened the front door, removing the 'Gone for Lunch' sign, and as he looked down he jumped.

That same rainbow-haired man was still there, sitting in the exact same spot, only with his cards gone. He looked up and gave the clerk a smile.

"That fisherman dropped off your rental." He stood up, easily towering over the clerk. "May I?" All the while he grinned like some kind of complete fool.

A very creepy fool…

"Uh…sure! Just fill out the form here." The clerk gave the man a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard. He began filling it out using the attached pen.

"Done."

"Okay, so are you a mage or…"

"Yes."

_'__Only a mage would have that hair,__'_ thought the clerk to himself. "Then I guess you'll have no problems with the SE-plug?"

"Yes."

The clerk nodded.

"Alright then. Thirty jewels an hour, and of course you have to pay for any damages."

"Are there any overnight fees?" asked the pink-dressed man.

"But…why would you…"

"Oh don't worry, I will return it to you by morning. Is there an overnight fee?"

The clerk gulped. "Well, we don't normally-"

He was interrupted by a massive wad of jewels being pushed in his face.

"This is my payment for taking the boat overnight," said the man as he leered down at the clerk. "And you _will _accept it. Or you might get a_ very displeased_ customer." There was something in his voice that put the clerk on edge. "Okay?" The man's head tilted as he continued smiling.

"Sure! All right!" The clerk hastily grabbed the bills and went to retrieve the key for the boat, which he handed over to the strange man.

"Thank you very much."

The man left, and soon the clerk could hear the putter of the SE-engine. He breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed into his chair.

"Scary…" he said aloud. He took the clipboard and inspected it.

_Pansy Kujaku. Age: 28._

"Pansy, huh?" The clerk frowned. "Talk about an odd name. That's mages for you; must be some kind of circus guild. But I didn't see a guild insignia on him… Maybe he's a freelancer?" Dismissing the matter, he took out a Sorcerer Magazine from underneath his front desk and began flipping through its pages.

And of course, the centerfold of Karen Lilica.

As Pansy Kujaku sped towards Charybdis Isle, out of the corner of his eye he saw a flittering light through the fog. Instinctively, he wrapped his hand in one of his multicolored locks of hair.

"Oh? So girly made it to the island after all." He grinned.

"Guess it's time for my adventure to get more..." He licked his lips. "_Fun_."

* * *

**And there's the build-up for the Char Isle Arc. Who is Pansy Kujaku? What does he intend to do with Mirajane? What sort of magic does he possess? Is the island really cursed or is pirates trolling the seas? Stay tuned to find out next time.**

**Funny how my Naruto/Manyuu Hikenchou crossover hit the ground running. Maybe all of my readers are all pervs.**

**Also, seeing how Fairy Tail mages have a Mage card, I figured I would have Coby have one. Here it is:**

**Name: Coby Marinford**

**Age: 14**

**Magic: Rokushiki-Body and Combat Performance Enhancing Magic.**

**Likes: Fairy Tail, shrimp, the sea, Justice.**

**Dislikes: Criminals.**

**Notes: Newest member of the Fairy Tail Guild, Coby saved the lives of the Take Over siblings from a Zeref-based cult while wandering in the Fustraian woodlands. He hit the ground running ever since his admittance, for his two first and only jobs so far being him saving the towns of Zakuro and Pickerel from an eco-terrorist and a pack of Murklurker catfish(with help of course). He happens to be an avid fan of shrimp, a trait he says he declines to elaborate on. He also declines where his hometown is, so people speculate him being a foreigner. He also seems to have gotten the eye of one of the most tempermental Fairy Tail mages, Mirajane, as well as possibly her younger sister Lisanna. It is not clear whether or not Mirajane's rival, Erza Scarlet, seems to like him. Only time will tell if this new addition to one of Fiore's most rambunctious guilds will be of any note.**

**Also I kinda F'ed up my middle finger, right hand while at work, so a break from writing for now :/**

**Also added a poll on my profile. Check it out if you like, note that it has no bearing on this fic whatsoever.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K and 1 over 0.**


	16. Chapter 16

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor, and any other OCs I create.**

* * *

_Charybdis Isle._

Coby warmed up next to the fire, a towel wrapped around his body as he sat down on a large stone. Likewise, Laxus was drying off as well nearby next to a tree and Mirajane was in new clothes, a large gray jacket covering a black tank-top and her denim shorts. She wasn't wearing her thigh high socks, as they were drying off.

"So," Pondered Mirajane. "What's the plan Laxus?" She turned her head towards the S-Class mage who was putting on a long sleeved green shirt.

"Well…" The lightning mage walked over, dressed in a new pair of jeans. "Coby is going to stay here and hold down the fort, while you and I." He jestured to the goth. "Will scout the coast. We will see if Coby is right about there being pirates here." The pinkette shuffled, his face a bit sour.

"I still should come." He mumbled. The blonde shook his head.

"No way. You're still recuperating from your run in the Murklurkers and foresight magic or not, I am not betting on the chance that your body cannot keep up with the magic against a several dozen strong crew of pirates. You stay here." Coby rolled his eyes.

"Relax Coby, me and Laxus can take care of any pirate scum we come across."

"_If_ we run into pirates," added in Laxus. "There is still the Blue Baron's castle to check out."

"So you'll go together or split up?" Asked the marine.

"We'll split up. Then we'll return to camp and figure out a plan of attack against the pirates. Depending on how many there are depends on if you are coming or not," said Laxus. Coby felt glad that Laxus was giving him _some_ leeway into helping attack the pirates, depending on how many there were. He looked around into his pack right next to him grabbed his medication, took out two pills, and swallowed them.

"Alright then." Laxus and Mirajane then gathered around the fire. Laxus pointed towards the coastline behind him. "I will head down that way. Mirajane, you head that way." He pointed forward down the other way. "If we run across any pirates on the coast, we will not attack them. We will return back here, reunite, and then head to where the pirates are hiding, then, we make them pay for what they did to Kujira and Smithee." Mirajane nodded, as did Coby.

The pinkette finally realized something and delved into his pack. "Hey guys I got an idea for you all." The two stared back at him as he searched around.

And he held out something in his hands to the duo.

"Snails?" Asked Mirajane. What was weird that the snail in her hand appeared to be asleep. Coby shook his head.

"Yes, they are known as Den Den Mushi. You can use them to communicate with one another."

And the two teens stared at the snails, then back at Coby, then back at the snails.

And Laxus was containing a laugh, while Mirajane was bursting out laughing. Coby wasn't amused.

"I'm serious! My world didn't have magic lacrima to communicate from so we had to settle these critters!"

"Snails that can be used like communication lacrima." Laxus placed his hand on his face as he sniggered. "That's a first."

"How _do_ these bugs act like comm-" She still laughed. "communication lacri-" She was interrupted by another round of laughter. "lacrima. Do they have telepathy then?" She laughed more at her logic.

Coby snatched the Baby Den Den Mushi from her palm and pressed a button on it's shell. In an instant, the snail awoke, it's eyes wide at attention. The two mages stopped their laughing and looked at the snail and then.

"Ring-ring-ring-ring." Came a voice, Mirajane and Laxus looked around and turned their heads at the Baby Den Den Mushi in Laxus' palm.

"Go ahead." Said Coby, arms crossed and having a small smirk on his face. "Press the button on the shell. The right one." Another four "Ring" came about and Laxus pressed the button.

And the two Den Den Mushi responded. In Laxus' palm the Den Den Mushi stood at attention and seemed to possess a confident smirk. The Den Den Mushi in Coby's palm had a look of bewilderment on it's face.

"What the-" Said Laxus, the Den Den Mushi on Coby's palm said those same exact words and mimicked Laxus' facial features. "Is it…" Coby could only nod, seeing the blond's awe.

"How can that be! Aren't those snails living things! It has to be magic! There's no way!" Said Mirajane in bewilderment.

"They can communicate with each other telepathically using Radio Waves, it's how we add these buttons," said Coby and the Den Den Mushi on Laxus' palm in tandem. The pinkette pointed on the buttons on his Den Den Mushi and at the speakers on the shell's sides. "And these speakers to make them into communicators." Laxus and Mirajane had wide eyes and turned their heads back at each other.

"Wow…" Was all Laxus could say, the Den Den Mushi on Coby's palm sharing that same expression. The silver haired goth had no words. Coby pressed another button on the Den Den Mushi, and with an audible "Clank" from his Den Den Mushi, Laxus' snail returned to it's normal neutral face and Coby gave his own Den Den Mushi to Mirajane.

"Well, with these two, you can communicate with each other when you find anything or want an update. With that said," Coby stood up and laid out his sleeping bag on the grass near the fire. "I'm gonna rest for a bit." Laxus and Mirajane nodded.

"Okay, update every fifteen minutes?" Asked Mirajane to the blonde.

"That works. Be careful."

"I am a favorite for the trials up ahead Laxus." Mirajane replied with a confident tone. "I can handle myself just fine." With a nod from the two magi, they headed towards opposite on the coast, Laxus up the coast, Mirajane down.

Which left Coby all to his lonesome. He had an eye looking at Laxus' pack…

He got up with a sigh, and searched his pack and grabbing out a Sorcerer's Weekly magazine, and looked around the articles and the prize of them all.

Swimsuit section.

* * *

Pansy slowed the boat down, the putters dying off as he entered the mist that surrounded the island like a donut. He could have just sped on through without a care to hit shore, but he didn't want to draw anymore attention to himself with a wrecked rental boat courtesy of rocks offshore.

His _handler_ wouldn't be too pleased if he did so either.

Finally, he could see his target in the water just off the boat. He went to the side and had his hand dip into the ocean, and he grabbed his reward. His beacon from earlier.

A white strand of hair, almost invisible to the naked eye, but not to his.

"So, girly must have gone for a swim then," mused Pansy to himself. He had left the silver strand on the silver haired girl when he passed her in the hotel earlier today, in addition to wanting to see her reaction when she felt some of his killing intent, and he did get a kick when he saw the blood drain from her face.

With a sigh, he placed the strand of hair back on his head and started up the SE-Engine on the boat again, feeding his magic power into the engine and continuing towards the coast.

Thankfully, luck was on the multi-colored haired man's side, as he his boat hit the sandbar. No rocks or coral to block his way. Taking off the SE-Plug, Pansy stepped out of the boat and bushed it further shore. After he got the boat onto land, he didn't even feel a strain on his muscles or a slight of fatigue.

As he craned his head from side to side, he inspected the island. Ethereal misty fog covering the ground and up to his ankles. Dark pine trees. The shadow of the great spiraling mountain looming over him. He gave a vulpine grin.

"Now to see if this island is any fun at all," grinned Pansy Kujaku as he trekked to his right, with the intent on finding whether or not the island is cursed.

And perhaps a run in with the silver haired girl too.

* * *

Mirajane walked along the beach, going barefoot to not have sand enter her shoes. In her jacket pocket was the Baby Den Den Mushi and in her left hand her shoes and socks. She stayed far enough away from the water to avoid feeling its cold sting but not too close to the treeline to step on pebbles and sticks.

Her eyes were peeled on the coastline in front of her, trying to see any other boats or ships, or anything that looked out of the ordinary on this island.

"Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring."

Her hand went to her jacket pocket and pulled out the Baby Den Den Mushi and pressed a button on it's shell.

"Yeah?" She spoke into the snail. The snail's face looked akin to Laxus' scowl, narrowed as if he is searching.

"Anything yet?" She shook her head.

"Nothing yet." There was a "Hmmm" coming from the snail, the snail's lips moving in tandem.

"Alright then, I'll call ya again in fifteen. If you spot anything, give me a call." Mirajane nodded.

"Will do." As she was about to end the call, her eyes spotted something. "Wait…Laxus. You still there." Her pace quickened to a slight jog, the snail in her hand having raised eyes.

"I am. See anything?" Mirajane could get a better look on the craft on the shore, it appeared to be a boat.

"Yeah it's a boat. Not a pirate ship but it's…" She finally reached the boat and started to look it over, and it looked very familiar.

"The same…"

"The same what?" Responded Laxus.

"The same as ours. It's the same rental boat brand from the store we rented back in Sillaville."

"So then…we are not alone then." Mirajane looked around, inspecting the forest and the sand and she saw it.

Footprints.

"We aren't. I see footprints on the sand and it looks like…" She looked up the shoreline, still seeing the footprints on the sand, but no person. "This person is heading up the coast. I'll go shadow this guy from the trees." She sat down on the sand and set the Den Den Mushi down. "I can stick to the trees." She started to put on small crew socks and her shoes. The snail looked with understanding.

"Got it. I'll increase my pace along my end of the island. Be careful." Mirajane nodded in reply.

"You worry about yourself. I can take care of myself just fine," said the goth confidently. The snail gave a 'Clank' and the call ended. With her shoes on, Mirajane placed the snail inside her jacket and walked into the forest.

She's gonna see who is on this island. Whether it be a civilian or something else entirely.

* * *

_An hour later_

Mirajane trotted along the trees, her eyes scanning for any movement. So far, there has been the occasional squirrel or owl hooting, but nothing out of the ordinary. She has kept an eye on the shore nearby as well, the tracks still in the sand, even she could see them despite the approaching night.

She decided to head back down to the shore a little, get a better view perhaps. As she walked along the sand, she was greeted with an unusual sight.

She saw a lagoon about a mile ahead of her, some huts, a bonefire…

And a galleon with a skull-and-crossbones flag.

She ran back into the forest and pulled out the Baby Den Den Mushi and pressed the button.

"Come on Laxus…answer!" She whispered loudly.

* * *

Meanwhile Laxus was over by a loud raging waterfall and was whistling to himself. The waterfall deafened his ears as he took a leak into the river that lead out to sea.

And he couldn't hear the "Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring" of the Baby Den Den Mushi sitting on a rock some several meters behind him.

And it didn't help as he had his earphones blaring rock'n'roll music as well.

* * *

"God damnit!" Cursed the goth to herself, ending the call. She looked more towards the lagoon.

'_I'll just scout the pirate's base camp and return to back to Coby. I can try calling him at a later time,'_ thought the girl to herself. She took to the trees and placed her Den Den Mushi out. With a glow, she transformed into an Owl and grabbed the snail by the shell with it's talons.

The snail wasn't amused, looking afraid as it began to sweat nervously for being carried around by a bird of prey. The Take Over mage rolled her eyes.

"Oh relax it's me. I won't eat you or drop you at all. Besides, I hate escargot." Her stark reassurance did little to ease the snail's fears. After flying over a mile and more inland she landed, setting the Den Den Mushi on the ground. She took the now calm snail and covered him with leaves. The insect-phone's eyes looked out in confusion.

"I'll be right back. Just don't move and stay hidden okay?" Said Mirajane as she flew out and stayed among the trees, swooping between, over, and under branches and foliage.

Finally she got a good view of the lagoon, as well as the pirate ship from about thirty yards away, her sitting on a perch and looking through the leaves.

And it seemed like a bonfire party, if it weren't for the roudy and uglier-than-sin pirates drinking and yelling.

"Oh where would we be without the Captain!" Said one pirate with a scraggily black beard. Another one, saved by missing teeth and donning an eye patch agreed.

"I know! Thanks to him we made a killing off of the riches we took from anyone foolish enough to sail in here!"

"And to think his fog magic can be this useful too! Even helped us sneak up on any ships that are not in the fog ring but rather close enough for the fog to envelop 'em!" Up above them, Mirajane had narrowed eyes.

'_So Coby was right. The fog was unnatural and pirates are to blame.'_

"Anything to get a couple of lady friends here." Grumbled the black beared one.

"Oh relax, we got two land lover ladies back from several weeks ago. We had our fun with them, although it's a damn shame," said the pirate with the sigh. "That the captain had to kill em like that. I understand that one guy though, with that stupid 'Smee' tick at the end of his sentences, but that pink haired lass had a nice rearview."

"Well duh, you and three others. You used that ass raw while I think maybe Jeffers used her mouth!" They laughed.

Now Mirajane was grinding her teeth, or rather her beak. These…_filth_ did such things to Kujira and her employer before their captain sliced all their throats…

If it wasn't for the logic of being overwhelmed by numbers and that Laxus also deserved a shot a them, she would have ambushed them then and there with gauging their eyeballs out with her new talons, and then transforming into her She-Devil form to rip their hearts out.

Now she understood why Coby hated pirates. They truly deserved the nickname Scum of the Sea.

"Everyone! Gather 'round!" Boomed a voice from near the bonfire. The two pirates left from under the tree and Mirajane craned her head towards the source of the voice as the other pirates who were socializing gathered around the giant fire.

"Tonight marks the seven month anniversary of the Sting Pirates! We were gathered under Captain Marcellus 'Sting' Stingleston seven months ago on a night in March! With the plunder we acquired, the pleasure we had," there was hoots of agreement. Mirajane was gripping the branch with her talons hard.

"And the fear we inspired into Sillaville, not even the Council has the courage to stop us! And why? Because we planted a few of us scallywags in town and told them of an age old myth!" There was laughter around.

"The captain will be joining us momentarily, for he is just getting groomed up! A toast, to the good captain!" He hosted up a tankard of rum.

"To the captain!" Yelled the dozen pirates who raised their own tankards or swords into the air. Mirajane growled a little.

'_I've seen enough of these bastards. I gotta tell Laxus and we will regroup.'_ Thought the Take Over mage as she turned around to take flight towards where the Den Den Mushi is hiding.

"Yes indeed!" Came a sudden voice, which cause the pirates to pause and look towards the source of the voice. "To a good and fine captain!" Mirajane turned her head a good one-eighty in confusion, not feeling an inch of strain.

Coming out of the crowd with a tankard of fizzy beer was…

Mirajane froze, her eyes wide as she moved her Owl-like body to normal.

"That guy from today!" She whispered.

* * *

Pansy held out a tankard with a grin, the other pirates confused and dazzled. He titled his head.

"Oh? Why the long faces?" He took a swig. "Are we not in the time for celebration?"

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Said one pirate, a bald one.

"Yeah! Where'd you come from!" Some swords were being drawn.

"Now now there's no need to be so hostile," said Pansy as he inspected the crowd.

_'8…11…10…11…15…7…_'

"We never seen you before in our crew or on this island land lover," snarled one pirate a huge muscular dark skinned one. "What are you doing here."

_'15…15…18…12…9…21…'_

"Hey, whats with you looking at us like that!" Sneered a small beady eyed pirate. True enough, Pansy was looking around the ring of pirates who were encircling him.

And he felt them all...muscle contractions, heart beats, the simplest of movement…

And there was another heartbeat several dozen meters or so away…but Pansy put that in the back of his mind.

For his normally jovial smile faded, into a vulpine frown.

"So low…" He muttered, placing his hand on his forehead. "So low low low…"

"Low what?" Asked a black bearded one. The multi-haired man gave him a condescending look.

"None of your concern. Now show me your captain." One pirate then came up to him with a dagger.

"Oh yeah? Why should we?"

His answer was a flash of blue from all of Pansy's blue hair braids, followed by a chop from the multi-haired man's right hand.

And the pirate was decapitated, as if lopped off by an axe, Pansy's hand caked in blood.

"_Iron Feeler_…" He whispered. "_Armor_…"

And the head fell.

"You bastard!"

"Kill him!"

"You'll pay for this you clown!" Pansy felt his blood beginning to boil, not in an angry way…but in an excited way.

For such low points from these vermin, he can make do seeing the sand coated red. Maybe the captain would be higher.

Two pirates lept with swords raised and the man simply side stepped their slashes, eyes closed. Another come charging in with a spear aimed at his head. Pansy simply titled his head let it pass over him by a thread.

And with a twirling kick, he slammed the pirate's skull in and sent him flying towards the galleon with a crash. The other two pirates came back charging this time to thrust.

He ducked underneath their jabs with acrobatic grace and aims his hands akin to a chop for their necks.

It was as if they were cut with knives, blood gushing out. Pansy turned again with a twirling chop and sliced an axe-wielding pirate's eyes out. Then he lifted his leg and dropped it down on the blinded and screaming pirate, crushing his head and gore flying everywhere, even some blood landed on the man's cheek.

Pansy Kujaku only licked it.

Now the Scum of the Sea were nervous, as they took a step a back in fright. Pansy could only grin further and further, his eyes predatory as he charged at them, hands still flat and his hair flailing about.

And suddenly his vision seemed to be foggy a bit. No…it was fog. It was encircling him and the area almost instantly, obscuring his line of sight.

"It's the captain! Captain Stingelson!" Murmured one pirate happily.

His _Sensory Feelers_ felt one of the objects on top of the galleon nearby aimed it him.

"Die you clown!" Yelled a pirate. A blast of liquid fire condensed into a ball came roaring towards him, that he could see from the mist, and Pansy recalled back his Sensory Feelers to avoid them getting burned. His green hair strands glowed and they moved towards the incoming fireball.

When the fireball came into contact with the outstretched green hair, it came to a stop…

"Captain!" Yelled out the few surviving pirate and Pansy turned his head, seeing the pirate captain Marcellus Stingelson.

_'39. Not worth the trouble.'_

The fireball was resent back directly back at the pirate courtesy of the multi-haired man's Reflector Feelers, immolating him into flames. Pansy relished hearing his screams, and the looks of the pirates on the pirates.

And with his green hair falling back down, he turned towards the survivors, tongue out.

"Now then…" He murmured. The pirates lost all of their courage and ran.

"He's a monster!"

"Run for your lives!"

"Mommy!"

Pansy Kujaku screamed like a banshee as he lept upon them, his chops and kicks akin to a slab of metal goring through flesh sometimes, and sometimes it could be precise and deadly like a knife. He chopped, slashed, kicked, gauged, and most importantly, what he loved doing to low scoring fighters…

Gutting them like swine.

* * *

Mirajane couldn't believe her eyes. The man from earlier, which she knew was bad news, was _horrible_ news.

He was a murderer and a psychopath, caking the sand red. And it seemed like he was screaming…then her eyes widened.

He wasn't screaming. He was _laughing._

And to her she could do nothing but watch the carnage unfold. It was like a train wreck. It was terrible yes, but her eyes couldn't gaze away.

And at the final pirate's scream of death of being gored through the chest, the man was taking stock of his carnage, body parts and organs strewn on the sand and some in the ocean water. The fire that came from the Napalm Lacrima bazooka fried by Stingelson was setting fire to the ship, not that she cared.

But that this man just unintentionally avenged Smithee and Kujira…But either way…The man was as the pirate's claimed.

A _monster_.

The man returned in front of the bonfire, taking a drink from a rum tankard that wasn't spilled over and smiling.

In her direction.

And he waved.

In an instant she flew out with the hard flutter of her wings and was panicked beyond belief.

That…_monster_…saw her. He knew she was there. But how? She was in the form of an owl so why?

As she flew towards where she left the Den Den Mushi under the leaves she saw her reflection in a pond below her.

She still had her ribbon, placed perfectly around her crown. But the foliage covered the top part of her head, so how? How in the blue hell did he spot her?

She landed , causing some critters to scatter and the Den Den Mushi looked in horror at the approaching owl. The snail's fears were calmed when Mirajane transformed back into a human but looked worried due to the look on her face.

She grabbed the snail communicator and started to run. Pressing the button on the snail to call in Laxus.

"Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring. Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring."

* * *

The sound of a struggle was taking place. And a great roar accompanying it. A bolt of lightning streaked from a cave, the Den Den Mushi sitting on a rock along with a canteen.

And a massive blue-green sea serpent burst out, angry and teeth barred at the lighting bolt which flew above it.

"Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring. Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring."

* * *

"Motherfucker!" Cursed Mirajane outloud as she pocketed the snail and transformed into an owl and kept flying. She continued flying for a good hundred meters…

Immediately a tree fell onto another one and Mirajane had to duck the sudden obstacle…

But got pain exploded as she felt a backhand and was sent flying across the ground, skidding little by little until she regained her composure and transformed back into a human. Deep down her heart sank, and she only knew one person capable of such a feat.

"You shouldn't be so nervous girl," oiled the multi-haired man who stood near the tipped over tree with an amused grin on his face. There was blood splatters on his pink and blue outfit. "Nice ribbon by the way."

Mirajane placed both her hands, one to her jacket pocket and the other to her ribbon. She still kept wide eyes on the psychopath in front of her. She saw his eyes travel her legs.

"Well well, is that the guild of Fairy Tail?" He asked with curiosity. Mirajane's hand then darted to her left thigh, covering her guild mark. "Let's see…silver hair…a punk style of clothing… and blue eyes…and the ability to transform into various creatures…" He ratted off, pacing back and forth as he did so. Mirajane remained silent. He snapped his fingers in revelation.

"Ah! You must be Mirajane. That girl who made headlines with the Zakuro and Pickerel affairs yes?" Oiled the man, right hand cupping his chin and his left one toying with his hair.

Mirajane remained silent, glaring at the man.

"Oh you can stop it with the glare now. The articles painted you much more confident as well. Don't tell me your legs are shaking already."

Mirajane was biting the inside of her cheek. She should escape. She should retreat and get back to Laxus and-

"Your heart…it's beating so fast…" He murmured with amusement. "Are you feeling like running away? That sounds rather out of character out of you Mirajane. The articles painted you much more braver. It would sound rather cowardly of you to flee yes?"

"Why did you come here! Why did you come to this island!" Barked Mirajane.

"You tell me first Mira~," oiled the man. Mirajane scowled at him.

"I came here to kill the pirates who killed my comrades. Since you already did that I am going to leave in peace," She stood up, took a deep breath and stared back at him.

"What about you then, fiend."

"Now now no need to be hostile. I came here to see if the Blue Baron curse was real or not. I was looking forward to encounter something like a cursed armor or something else, but the pirates were fine enough." Finally he snapped his fingers.

"Ah yes! Where are my manners?" He took a deep bow. "My name is Pansy Kujaku, and I…" He turned around, moving his hair a little. Mirajane's eyes widened as she saw the red mark on his neck. It was a side view of a head in flames, a laughing head.

"Am a member of the Premier Assassin Guild Death's Head Caucus." The man could only smile more as his Sensory Feelers, which were slowly wrapped around Mirajane's left wrist, detected her increased heartbeat.

'_He's in a Dark Guild!'_ Thought the girl to herself. Normally the moment he would have turned his back to her she should have fled, but she couldn't move an inch the moment she saw his mark, indentifying him as a Dark Guild member.

"And now that introductions are out of the way." He took out several items in his pockets and set them in a tree hollow, he turned back towards the girl who now looked visibly frightened. "Shall we dance? I promise to give you a good waltz and maybe if I can…" His face split into a vulpine grin.

"I can see how _marvelous_ a dancer that pink haired boy you traveled with in Zakuro and Pickerel is as well. I heard you also had siblings too as well. Do they-"

Suddenly a flash, his response was to bring his arms up in a cross block to block against a punch.

Where there was once a scared silver haired girl, was now a pissed off She-Devil, hair on end and hands as claws.

"You won't touch a hair on their heads!" She roared. She brought back her left hand, cackling with electricity. She brought it down, and Pansy grinned into her incoming strike, his green braids glowing green for a moment.

There was a small pop and Mirajane was sent flying backwards, but regained her composure and landed on her two feet. She stripped off her jacket and tossed it aside into the bushes and went into a stance.

Pansy couldn't contain his vulpine grin. "Now that's more like it…"

'_A 69. Potential there for sure. And she's only fourteen!'_ Thought the man to himself with a grin. Mirajane bared her teeth and brought her hands together.

"_Darkness Stream_!" Dark hands blasted out and raced towards him and he dodged nimbly.

"_Iron Feeler-Armor_!" He yelled out, his blue braids glowing blue and he felt the invisible strands of steel hair cover his body from head to toe, empowered by magic. And he swatted, kicked and punched away the hands.

And with a noble back flip, he dodged where he once stood. Now a crater and Mirajane's hands glowing blackish purple.

"Come on! Show me Demoness!" Pansy yelled out. "Show me your power! Let the thought of that boy and your family fuel you! Defeat me if you can!"

Mirajane only roared in anger as her hands glowed purple and her fist clashed with Pansy's own.

She struck again and again but he only blocked and parried, and she felt as if she was hitting steel with her fists. Thankfully, the She-Devil's claws were making marks on his pink outfit and she continued to be on the attack, but he was backing away slowly.

She didn't care about how he managed to be so nimble in his dodging like how Coby did with the tentacles of the Murklurker mother. She didn't care about the man taking enjoyment in her rise of fury.

All she cared about was taking him out and leaving this island with Coby and Laxus. They had nothing to gain here with the pirates dead and the 'curse' lifted.

She dived towards his legs with an _Evil Spark_, but he jumped high into the trees, flipped until his feet became planted a branch, then pushed off, firing towards the ground.

Mirajane jumped out of the way of his punch, and fired another dark blast at him. He flinched a little from the dark blast, but appeared un hurt. Boosting magic power into her legs, she charged at him again, this time both hands together.

"_Soul_!" Pansy has just stood up, eyes raised.

"_Extinction_!" And she fired the great energy blast at him point black, the dark stream sending him to a tree.

But to her dismay the man was holding the blast back with his hands, and he was smiling as he did so.

"Impressive!" He yelled out. "_Reflector Feeler_!"

Then Pansy gripped the blast and sent it flying back towards Mirajane who dodged, the dark blast condensed as an energy ball exploding nearby and ruining several trees. He kept his eye towards the black-purple explosion.

And his_ Sensory Feelers_ picked up Mirajane's motion, and he dodged nimbly away from a claw slash, then a drop kick, then a punch, which left a crater in a tree. He backflipped twice and landed gracefully. He inspected his hands and saw him burn marks on them.

"Not bad. You are having trouble I'll say that, but you are leagues better than that pirate rabble," smirked Pansy. "Although, you are not at the appropriate level yet to give me my fullest satisfaction."

"Who gives a damn about your satisfaction!" Barked Mirajane as she charged again, one hand cackling lighting the other darkness. She gave a roar and began to strike Pansy.

He merely dodged her again and again and again, even with his eyes closed. This was beginning to irritate the girl as judged by her frustrated grunts.

'_How the hell is he dodging me!'_ thought Mirajane to herself. She then fired a lightning and dark magic ball at the multi-haired man who dodged with grace yet again, not even using that _Reflector_ magic or whatever he was using. She noticed that she was near the ocean, the sea to her back.

And she ran towards it, Pansy in hot pursuit.

"Running away are you?" Goaded the man. Mirajane stopped in the water around knee level and kneeled down, grabbed the water with her claws.

And she begun to slowly twirl, causing the man to stop and observe her motions.

And before he knew it, all the water was moving towards Mirajane, and surrounding her dance was a giant water spout. Pansy took in the giant water twister before him with a grin.

"Darkness, Lightning, _and_ Water?" He said to himself. "Quite the impressive bag of tricks Mira." Mirajane paid him no heed, grabbed the giant water twister and aiming it at the Dark Guild assassin.

"_Evil Explosion_!" And the giant spiraling water gushed towards him.

"But not impressive enough! _Reflector Feeler_!" His green braids flashed again, his green strands erect and in front of him, the water passing over him as if he was in an invisible ball. He felt his _Iron Feelers_ around him deactivate as a cost for activating his _Reflector Feelers_.

He did not see the incoming dark dart aiming towards him, the dart burst through the water and the barracuda emerged, fangs barred. Pansy brought his hand to defend himself, the slight few moments which could define him living or dying, and anticipated the barracuda's fangs.

Only for a flash of light to blind him, Pansy grunting in response.

And he felt pain in his abdomen, sharp searing pain. He looked down as the water fell down all around him back onto the sandbar, onto him and onto her.

And Mirajane had her claws in his gut, blood seeping out, and glare of searing hatred raised into his own shocked expression.

"_Evil Spark_." She growled. And electricity jolted everywhere in his body, nerves lighting on fire in pain as he screamed and glowed blue as a result of the lightning magic. Mirajane showed no pain, despite the fact she was covered in water.

As the water around the two settled down, Mirajane took stock of the damage she done on the Deaths Head Caucus member.

He was unmoving as he stood, his mouth agape and his skin singed and steaming. With a tug, she brought her claws out, and slowly began to walk back to shore, panting as she did so. To date, this encounter has got to be the most toughest fight she has done. But she smirked, she killed the Dark Guild assassin, protected Coby and Laxus, and they will finally get a chance to leave this stupid-

"Going somewhere?" As Mirajane snapped her head around, she took an _Iron Feeler_ enhanced punch to the face, feeling a crack in her nose and sending her flying across the sand until she rolled to a stop. She coughed blood and brought her claw to her face and stared in shock.

There stood Pansy Kujaku, while scorched a little and having a bleeding midsection, appeared to be unphased.

"I change my mind. You are not a 69. You lady," he smirked, a bit pained as the salt water crept into his abdominal wound, his blue vest becoming darker with blood. "Are a 73." The goth stood up, hand still covering her broke nose in pain.

"Who gives a damn about your numbers!" She shrieked. She was surprised. She had him wet, she had electrocuted him with a major amount of her magic power. So why…

Why doesn't he stand down!

"Well you see lady, those numbers have already determined how much fun I am having and I must say." His eyes curved up in a vulpine smile. "I am having a _gay_ magnificent time with you."

"Piss of!" Mirajane fired a darkness hand at the pan as he dredged up shore, and he casually back handed the darkness hand away.

And Pansy ran, and in response Mirajane brought more darkness magic power to her claws and charged as well.

She hooked right, he dodged and threw another punch at her shoulder, sending her staggering. He jumped and leveled off a drop kick into her face, sending her into a tree. She saw stars as she slumped down, coughing spit and blood.

Pansy showed no mercy, in an instant he was upon her with a sweeping kick to her head and sending her skipping along the sand. Pansy lept high into the air and as Mirajane stopped on the sand, he landed upon her feet first hard.

Two cracks, two ribs, and a howl of pain. Pansy then grabbed her hair and held her high with his left hand.

Mirajane had blood rushing from her mouth and nose, her stomach blazed in agony, and the exhaustion of having minimals amounts of magic power weren't helping her. Even the pain from her hair strands didn't matter, as she reopened her eyes, the multi-haired man began punching her in the face and delivering some hard kicks to her sides, all feeling as if sledgehammers were slamming her body. Again, and again, and again, and again.

She coughed more blood, and Pansy delivered another drop kick to her, sending her flying until her back hit a tree, as she yelped in pain and crashed down to the ground hard.

And she felt the slight tug in her body. '_No…'_ Not that, anything but-

She glowed, and in an instant, she was a human again, no claws or ears or She-Devil skin. Just a plain human girl, with broken ribs, a broken nose, and a brusied up face.

And she saw Pansy walk slowly towards her, she felt bile rise up, and with a cough, she vomited over herself. If she wasn't in such exhaustion or pain she would have been disgusted, but all she cared about was trying to get air into her lungs, the taste of bile burning in her mouth.

And soon, eclipsing the moon's light was Pansy Kujaku, his narrow vulpine green eyes, she finally noticed the color, glearing down at him. As he raised his hand, Mirajane closed her eyes and flinched slightly.

That was it then. She'll end up like Smithee and Kujira. Dead at the hands of a murderer and who knows what will happen to her body afterwards. Lisanna and Elfman would grow up without her, she would be another gravestone, placed next to her deceased father. And Coby would be…

'_Coby…Elfman…' _She felt wetness occur in her eyes. '_Lisanna…I..._' She grit her teeth for the end…

And felt a hand on her head and begun to move it affectionately.

Was that monster…_petting_ her? She reopened her eyes. There stood Pansy, still smiling as he petted her head.

"There there Mirajane. I am not going to kill you," cooed the man. Mirajane's eyes were no widened.

Was this a joke?

"Now I bet you're wondering," as he knelt down and cupped her cheek, still grinning like a predator. "_Why is he not going to kill me? Did he not slay those pirates earlier?_ That what you are thinking right?"

Mirajane made no move, still staring blankly at the multi-haired man.

"It's a bit easy really," cooed the man as he placed his forehead against hers, Mirajane powerless to push him away, her strength spent. "I consider mages like you to be like wine. The more you age, the better you taste." His eyes continued to pierce into her redden blue orbs.

"Likewise, I know you will have a more astounding career as a mage for Fairy Tail." He separated and gazed down at her, and he smiled.

"So get stronger. Aim for a hundred points. Okay? Because when you reach a hundred is when I will receive the ultimate satisfacton. And becomes strong! Use whatever that fuels to give you power! Strength to overcome, strength to protect, strength for vengeance, whichever method is fine with me! You have Pansy Kujaku's seal of approval!" beamed Pansy. Mirajane could only stare in dumfondment.

"Now then, I will take my leave. The wounds I placed on you were in no means fatal so you'll recover so long as you rest and listen to your neighborhood doctor. Savvy?" With that and a twirl of his hair. He began to walk away down the beach away from Mirajane who was still leaning against a tree.

The silver haired girl slowly raised a hand to reach out to the retreating man, but he turned and entered the foggy forest and disappeared.

And Mirajane slammed her fist to the ground in anger and in shame. Tears of joy and shame upon her.

She was happy to be alive, to know that she can still see Lisanna, Elfman, and Coby's faces again.

She was ashamed to be alive, because the man whom she thought was on her level, only toyed with her for amusement. And he was a Dark Guild member, the type of people she would encounter as an S-Class mage one day.

And to lose in such a fashion and so embarrassing at that. How can she, a future S-Class mage, handle S-Class jobs if she can't take down a Dark Guild assassin all on his lonesome. Hell he wasn't even an assassin, because he outright gave her his name and his guild, and none of his magic was stealth based, and he looked like a freak show on top of it…

The tears flowed but she did not cry. She will not give that monster the satisfaction of her wails.

As the moon reached high into the sky, she felt sleep slowly take her, her strength spent.

And as her hand went limp with sleep, not too far away in some foliage…

"Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring. Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring."

* * *

Coby checked out another page, this time featuring a redhead in a cowgirl outfit in boredom look up at the moon.

"Where is Mira at?" He pondered to himself. He stowed the magazine away in Laxus' pack and positioned himself to do some push-ups.

As he pushed himself up and down, he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Small slight strands of white hair in the trees. Inspecting, feeling, weaving, moving as if they were alive. Coby stood up ignoring the small strain in his arms as he took in the sight.

And he saw his vision deepen, his hearing increase. He felt the hoots of the owls, the squeeks of the rodents, the chirps of the crickets…

The cracking of twigs and leaves…

And the faint humming of a tune unknown to him, but unfamiliar to his memory.

Whatever is giving him this perception, the marine could tell that those white strands were slowly getting towards him.

Coby stood up, eyes alert. What could be causing this?

And he ran and hid behind a tree, taking a slight peek…

Only for the white strand, which was intangible yet he could see it clearly, brush over his head, and continue going.

And the crushing of twigs and leaves and the brustling of the bushes only came closer. And closer…and closer. Coby held his breath, someone had entered the camp. And he was close…

And there was silence.

The snap of a twig right to his left. Coby turned, and found himself face to face with a sharp-faced multi-haired man with the smirk of a demon.

"Hello…" He said in a lustful and low tone. "Boy…"

* * *

**And there's chapter 16! Mirajane vs Pansy Kujaku! Here is a mage card for the antagonist of this arc!**

**Name: Pansy Kujaku**

**Dark Guild: Death's Head Caucus**

**Age: 26**

**Magic: Feeler Magic. Has four categories, all enhanced by magic power: **

**Iron Feelers, hair strands which Pansy can wrap around his body yet seem invisible to the human eye, as the name implies, they are as hard as iron. They are seen as blue.**

**Sensory Feelers, hair strands which Pansy can increase it's length exponentially curl out, using the motion of his head and the slightest breeze of wind to keep them afloat. Can also be wrapped around a person's limb, like an ankle or wrist, to track a person's pulse as well as sense the person's muscle contractions, effectively allowing Pansy to know what move the person will make. Are seen as white.**

**Reflector Feelers, hair strands which Pansy can use it's properties to reflect any magic power aimed at him and repel it back at the direction it was casted from. The hair strands are seen as green/**

**? Feelers. Information unavailable.**

**Likes: The strong, the people who would be strong. Playing card games. High scoring individuals.**

**Dislikes: The weak who pretend to be strong, low scoring individuals.**

**Notes: Pansy Kujaku's orgin's are unknown at this time. It is said that a man similar to Pansy's stature and description fought and killed a Wizard Saint in X776 when he was 23, but he disappeared shortly afterward. He has a unique mind set where he places "points" on opponent mages or anyone who can fight. If someone has a low score, he would slay them with extreme prejudice. If they have a score higher than 60, he either kills the person or lets them live, but so far he has shown leniency as of late. The reason for this leniency is yet to be discovered.**

**So yeah, real life, Star Wars Old Republic(PM me if you wanna know my server info), and other shit has tied me down, but here is the next chapter!**

**Also, I have a poll on my profile, so feel free to check it out if you can. **

**Next chapter: Coby vs Pansy. Who will win?**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-k**


	17. Chapter 17

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor, and any other OCs I create.**

* * *

_Charybdis Isle._

Coby leapt back as he saw the man in front of him, his eyes wide with surprise and trace amounts of fear.

Was this man a pirate?

"Oh my, quite skittish aren't you," chuckled Pansy. "You didn't seem too skittish when you defeated Youbara at Zakuro Town, or killed those Murklurkers in Pickerel either, Mr. Coby Marinford."

"How do you know about me?" demanded Coby, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the man top to bottom. He was clearly sporting injuries, his pink and blue outfit stained with blood, his abdomen badly gashed.

"Oh you know, read the newspaper and what not. I like to be caught up with the daily events of the country at large," oiled Pansy as he inspected his nails.

"Oh yes, where are my manners?" He took a deep bow with regal courtesy. "My name is Pansy Kujaku, and I am a member of the Premier Assassin Guild Death's Head Caucus, also a Dark Guild in the eyes of the Magic Council."

Coby's eyes went up.

"You…are a Dark Guild member? Then you must have been the ones who killed Smithee and Kujira!" snarled Coby as he narrowed his eyes.

He knew it was inevitable, but he could finally feast his eyes on Earthland's equivalent of a strong criminal from his world. And finally he could bring this man to justice.

"I'm sorry, I don't really keep track of the names of weaklings that I kill," mused Pansy, cleaning his left ear with his pinky. "If they were a part of that pirate crew then too bad then."

Coby's face contorted from hate to confusion.

"N-No, those two were members of my guild. Of Fairy Tail."

"Oh yeah about that," said the Technicolor haired man. "The pirates did kill those two and their employer," he jotted it down his finger, as if going through a mental checklist, "strongly implied that they were raped to insanity, then had their throats cut, their belongings stolen. Hmmm…" He thought, completely ignoring Coby's growl at the nonchalant list of misfortune of the deceased. "What else happened? The continued raping of their corpses or that male corpse being used as fish bait…"

"Shut up!" Coby sprung. Pansy stepped to the side, avoiding the pinkette's punch as the boy skidded and turned around.

"Oh yes that's right! They WERE skullfucked after being killed! Their bodies were intact after all. Oh silly little ole me~. But that would still say that they were raped."

Coby gave a yell and he charged again at Pansy, index fingers erect.

"_Shigan!"_

"You know, you don't need to get so mad," said the man nonchalantly as he sidestepped the attack, confident that the boy would-

A kick to his ribs that sent him up in the air a few meters proved otherwise. He landed on his feet, an eyebrow raised.

"It's rude to interrupt adults while they're talking, you know."

"Shut your mouth!" Coby somehow sensed the man would sidestep his Shigan, and had kicked him appropriately. He glared as he dropped into another stance.

"Anyways, what I am saying are merely implications, which means that the pirates may have just-" He dodged an azure air blade, then jumped to the side to avoid another, slicing a tree in two.

"Your parents never really did teach you manners didn't they?" deadpanned the clown. Coby vanished from sight with a _Soru_, and an instant later Pansy felt his skull being struck by a sledgehammer.

'_Damn he's fast!'_ cursed Pansy internally. Although he was impressed, this kid was clearly faster than Mirajane, although from what he has seen so far, the pinkette didn't seem as destructive.

He staggered, and would have been gored in the throat had it not been for his _Iron Feelers_ wrapping around his throat, effectively blocking Coby's _Shigan_ with a pop. The boy jumped back a dozen meters and winced as he shook his hand.

"So how many bones did I break in your finger? Two or three?" oiled Pansy. Coby was aching. He knew he shouldn't be fighting this man. If what he said was true, and Coby just had the feeling to trust him, even if he didn't want, then neither he or Laxus have any reason to stay here.

But the moment he insulted the dead mages he felt obligated to defend their honor, and the man seemed to relish in misfortune of others.

And when he mentioned his parents, Coby wanted to beat his teeth down his throat. Dark Guild mage or not.

"59" Pansy said, seeming to grin for a moment.

"59?" asked Coby in a confused tone.

"Your score is 59. Which means you leaving from this place alive, Fairy Tail mage, is entirely fifty-fifty. That girl I met a short while ago was above seventy, well after I left her bleeding by the sands and with several broken bones too." The man chuckled as he looked off to the side, taking in the night sky's sight.

Coby's heart stopped, his face twisting in horror, his eyes bulging. His arms went slack, and he didn't even notice the intangible white strands from Pansy's crown slinking on his arms and legs.

"You…what?" Pansy turned his eyes towards him. Then it clicked.

"Ah yes that's right! My silly little ole memory," he chuckled as he shook his head. "You are in the Fairy Tail guild, which by proxy means you came with that Mirajane girl. She and I danced a while ago, and I had a fun ole time with her." He winked.

Coby was still looking down, as if his entire body went numb.

'_Mirajane was…'_ He recalled Pansy mentioned "fun ole time," which meant…

"Oh rest assured I-" He didn't finish as he leapt high to avoid an air blade, then raised his head up to see Coby right in his face, glaring with the fury of a thousand suns.

"_Jyugan!"_ Pansy brought his hands to his head, even enhanced by his_ Iron Feelers_ as he went soaring back to the earth. Landing in the ground, he back flipped to avoid another crushing punch, which made the effect akin to a mine explosion sending mud and dirt flying. Pansy regained balance, but not before Coby was in his face again and the man dodged another _Shigan_, some of his hair strands were fallen due to the attack.

Even as his aching muscles cried, Coby kept on the attack, landing punch after punch and kick after kick, Pansy blocking each hit while taking a stance akin to a boxer. The adrenaline was blocking out the pain, but he still kept on.

"You'll pay! You unforgivable son of a bitch! You beast!"

"You didn't let me finish. I said I-" Pansy dodged another punch which blasted a tree off. Coby visibly winced as his knuckles wailed in agony. With his _Sensory Feelers_ on Coby's limbs, Pansy noticed how his body was holding up.

'_Increased blood pressure, signs of extreme fatigue, evidence of injury to muscles and bones, this boy,' _his eyes was narrowed. '_Was already injured before even coming to this island. He's not even one hundred per cent healthy and I gotta admit.' _He grinned like a fox. '_He's making this dance a very intriguing affair. He has heart, that's for sure.'_

Coby reopened his eyes. Using _Geppou_ despite his leg's protests, he leaped high into the air and reared back his legs, anger overshadowing reason and pain alike.

"This is for Mira! _Ran!"_ His legs were all a blur, and a storm of azure air blades descended, aimed at the technicolor-haired man.

"Not gonna work Coby-boy!" chuckled Pansy as he held his hands out, his green hair flashing and outstretching. "_Reflector Feeler_!" The air-blades made contact with the _Reflector Feelers_…

And pain exploded on Pansy's person, as the air blades slashed his body look butcher knives.

"What!" Pansy was legitimately shocked. His _Reflector Feelers_ was capable of holding back even spells from a Wizard Saint! How can this boy, in his current condition, have a spell capable of getting past his feelers?

He yelped in pair, staggering back against a tree as the air blades struck again and again, cutting deeper and deeper. The stray blades threw up clouds of dust as they passed.

After nearly fifteen seconds of a constant _Rankyaku_ barrage, Coby finally collapsed. He landing on his side, grunting in pain as the impact sent waves of agony through his already damaged body.

He wasn't fit to fight. He wouldn't have been fit to fight for another week or two at the earliest. He needed to monitor his body to ensure he can help Mirajane in the S-Class Trials and yet…

Anger and desire to avenge her overshadowed that thought. As did pain, as his body suffered the consequences of his fury.

'_My arms…'_ He rolled about in the dirt and brush, whimpering and howling as every muscle in his body seemed to be lashing out to him, the injuries from his fight with the Murklurker mother seeming to return yet not return.

'_My legs…I can't move…fuck…'_ He tried inching towards the camp and by his pills…if he can get one, no two…three, for the pain was so great. He could manage and he could find Mirajane and-

A solid foot came crashing down on his back, driving the air from his lungs in a shower of blood. He somehow managed to turn his head, and his left eye widened. Pansy had his arm on his knee as his right foot crushed Coby's body. His face was…

A familiar yet haunting laugh appeared in the back of his mind, and in his mind's eye, Coby saw the one who had sent him to this world, the one who destroyed his dream. Fear gripped him as that man's face mixed in with the man standing on him.

Blackbeard.

"I cannot believe it…" breathed Pansy as he panted, his eyes wild. "At first I thought I was hallucinating from all the blood I lost. But while I was trying to fathom why your technique broke through my feelers, it hit me with the force of a meteor." And his face contorted to that an ear-to-ear grin, his green eyes shining malevolently.

"You…are no mage. You do not possess magic power at all. You are just," he sighed and breathed more oxygen into his lungs, "a normal human…"

Coby felt his slowing heart speed up again. His energy was spent, his body broken down, Laxus was nowhere to be found and Mirajane…

And he heard a clapping sound and felt the heavy weight removed from his back. He tried to turn his head more and saw Pansy clapping hard, a smile on his clown-like face.

"I never thought that in my wildest of dreams I would encounter a man like you…" he said in a husky tone. "You manage to put up such a fight, and even when injured and trying to recover, you did all of this." He spread his arms, revealing the gashes in his outfit and his torn up shirt, and the blood running from the wounds. "And you don't even have a single ounce of magic inside your person. That…" He closed his eyes and moaned, wrapping his arms around him "makes me…_so excited…"_

Now Coby was frightened to the core. His body wasn't able to move and the way this man was talking like…

He feared he would become like Smithee and Kujira…like Mira…

Pansy noticed his frightful gaze and kneeled down and patted his head and smiled with…affection?

"It's alright boy," he said. "I have absolutely no desire to kill you, and the same goes for your friend Mirajane as well. She is alive and well."

Coby felt his heart soar. That odd feeling…just be seeing his facial muscles…is telling him to trust him…

"Mira…" he croaked, "is alive?"

"She scored a 73. She's worth living to fight another day, when she is older and more powerful. And you boy, I thought you were a 59, but in reality you sir are a 70." He closed his eyes and grinned like a child. "I had a lot of fun!"

Coby didn't know what to say. The man was talking as if he and Mirajane were worthy opponents, as if their battle had been a mere game, an opening round.

"Oh, in case you wanted to know, I did kill the pirates myself. Mirajane, that girl, saw me, I noticed her, we fought, and I left her by a tree. Her wounds are non-fatal so she'll be okay for now." Suddenly Pansy turned his head back to the campsite and walked on over. Coby tried to lift his head to see what he was doing.

As it turns out, Pansy was rummaging through their stuff, looking at magazines and inspecting the sleeping bags.

"H-Hey…" cried out Coby. Finally Pansy seemed to have found something in one of the backpacks. A small sheet of paper.

"Oh ho? Used the same boat place I see," smiled Pansy as he inspected the paper, confirmed it being a receipt and he gasped and his eyes went up.

"Laxus…Dreyar…" he said slowly, reading the names on the receipt.

Coby's heart fell to his stomach, despite his body being parallel with the ground. This man was fighting them one by one, picking them off.

'_Laxus…'_

"I think I got my next source for entertainment," smiled Pansy from ear to ear. He fell into a thinking pose and his internal light bulb turned off.

"I'll grab his attention! That's it!" He turned his head towards Coby, who gulped after seeing the look in his eyes.

"And if you and Mirajane are of any indication, he'll be fighting harder to save his precious little friends." He walked over and ran his hands through his hair. Tiny strands of hair came off, some of them flying away in the breeze, others dropping onto the ground.

A smirking Pansy loomed over Coby, turned him over to his back and raised his foot. Coby knew what was coming, whatever gave him the precognition played it out in his mind, and he had no means of countering it in any way.

"Night night." The boot came down, and Coby felt a flash of pain to his crown, then darkness.

* * *

_A half hour later…_

A very annoyed Laxus walked down the beach, his Den Den Mushi in his hand as he tried to call Mirajane for the umpteenth time. He lost count after twelve or so.

"Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring. Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring." The snail kept on ringing, but no response, it's face remaining neutral.

"Okay did she seriously blow off finding the pirates just to shag Coby?" growled the blonde in annoyance. He clearly knew that the girl liked him, and Coby liked her back. But then again, he may not like her _that_ much akin to how she liked him. It didn't seem to fit Coby's personality, although he did fit the whipped husband archetype well.

And he didn't see Mirajane falling to the likes of pirates. She clearly would have used the element of surprise and may have even wiped them out, if she didn't mean to return and rendezvous with the group.

After all, Laxus needs to pay back those scum of the sea hundred fold for mocking their guild through killing their members.

He saw the glow of the fireplace near the camp as he approached.

"Yo Coby, is Mirajane here?" He asked, knowing the answer as he strolled into camp as she may have already returned and-

There was no one there.

"Coby?" he called out, inspecting the camp. The camp looked a bit roughed up, as if someone had rummaged through their belongings.

"Mirajane?" he yelled, starting to worry. He looked around, and saw that the trees nearby had suffered significant damage. They were broken as if blasted by storms, and slashed as if with sharp blades.

But Laxus' attention was drawn closest to a much-abused pine tree, splattered with what could only be blood.

He began to fear the worst. Had the pirates ambushed Coby and Mirajane? What the hell happened?

"Guys! Where are you?" he yelled, his heart beginning to race. If those two died while he was distracted by some friggin Sea Serpent…

As he glanced frantically back and forth, his attention fell on something odd upon one of the trees. He inspected it more closely, seeing what looked like an arrow cut into the living wood, pointing towards the spiralling mountain.

"Did Coby do this? Or Mirajane?" wondered the man aloud as he trotted off in the prescribed direction. As he jogged he saw similar arrows on other trees, seeming to mark out a path for him to follow.

Knowing he couldn't waste time, Laxus converted into _Lightning Body _and flew in the forest, scaring away many night dwelling critters on the ground and in the trees. As he was a lightning bolt, he speared through the woods, taking note of the arrow directions, weaving and turning until he found himself on an odd mountain path.

'_Must lead to that odd looking castle,'_ thought Laxus as he raced through with blistering speed, over a bridge, a spring, and into a cave. He converted out of _Lighting Body_ form to conserve his magic power, taking a deep breath and trotting down the cave, which was itself marked with the arrow signs.

He saw a light at the end of the cave-like tunnel and ran towards it. He burst on through and his eyes went wide.

What appeared before him was what remained of a ruined iron gate, fallen onto the ground and covered in vines and dirt. The stone walls soared fifteen feet high as Laxus advanced into what looked like a courtyard and the imposing chateau in front of him. There were vines and decay all around the building, which had evidently been abandoned for quite some time. As his eyes travelled to the center of the courtyard he saw a familiar sight.

The sight was the statue, that of a nude woman holding a jar, and a serpent covering her privates and breasts. The jar seemed to be expelling fog, which was covering the courtyard in half of foot deep.

"What's that statue doing here?" wondered Laxus. As he walked past the statue and he saw the entrance to the mansion, his heart dropped.

Hanging there, by a rope tied around his midsection, was Coby.

"Coby!" yelled Laxus. As he aimed to get closer, a small explosion went off near his feet, sending him in the air. He regained his balance and landed on his feet. As the ringing faded from his ears, he heard the sound of someone clapping. He turned his head to see who it was.

It was a man with technicolour hair and a demon-like grin on his face, his pink and blue suit covered in cuts and blood stains.

"My compliments on finding your good ole friend here Laxus Dreyar," oiled the man. "I was beginning to get rather bored playing solitaire and all."

Laxus took stock of the man, who despite being covered in bandages walked fine and with an aura of confidence. He glared.

"Who are you. What did you do to him?" he growled.

"Oh me?"

"Who else!"

"Why I fought him of course. He and Mirajane Strauss, finally found out about her surname, put up quite the impressive battles against me, and the boy hanging up there didn't even have magic!" He wrapped his arms around his person and moaned. "It was _so exhilarating."_

"I don't give a damn about your twisted tastes," Laxus growled as he turned about face and stared the green-eyed man in the eye, his heart burning with hate, though the man didn't seem to care.

"Let me ask you a question," he glared.

"Shoot, Laxy-boy," smiled the man. "Ask dear little Pansy of Deaths Head Caucus any question. I won't bite~."

"What do you know about the curse of this island? Are you responsible?" The man, known as Pansy, shook his head and chuckled. Laxus didn't seem to care that he was from a Dark Guild. He handled a couple a year or so ago with Gildarts and wasn't the least bit intimidated.

"The curse was all a bunch of hubbub made by pirates. I killed them before fighting Mirajane. She's alive and her wounds are non-fatal, as is Coby-boy here," oiled Pansy, gesturing towards the pinkette. "I never leave strong fighters with the potential to be even greater dead."

'_Mirajane is alive then,'_ Laxus sighed with relief mentally and turned his attention towards the man, small sparks of lightning crackling at his fists.

_"Not much of a party animal, huh?" asked Coby as he took a seat beside the blond._

_"Name's Coby Marineford by the way. What's yours?"_

_"If there's anything you need help with, Laxus, you just let me know and I'll help ya to the best of my ability."_

He turned his head, seeing the unconscious Coby on the rope and his gaze softened. Laxus took a deep breath and turned his back to the man.

"What are you doing?" asked the man, who sounded genuinely surprised.

"I am going to save my friend, find Mirajane, and leave this island, be damned with you of all people," muttered Laxus without turning round. "You killed the pirates after all, and I won't fight you. I've nothing here to gain, and all I seek is to bring my friends home safely." He couldn't allow his pride to forsake him, not the one person he could call his best friend…

"Oh really?" replied Pansy, as if he was not impressed. "And here I thought…" Laxus began walking towards Coby, his face set in stone.

'_Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him.'_

"That the magnificent son of Ivan Dreyar had some backbone." Pansy gave a particularly evil grin, revealing his teeth. "Your father is the talk of the town in the underworld of magic you know. Tell me, how does it feel knowing that dear old daddy got kicked out, leaving you to grow up on your own, with all your fatherly advice coming from the old coot who exiled him in the first place?" his grin widened as Laxus came to a halt, flinching with each syllable.

"Rumor has it that Ivan did some _real_ bad to get exiled and form that Dark Guild Raven Tail." Pansy cocked his head to the side, clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. When he spoke again, it was in a mocking, girlish tone.

"I wonder _how_ his wife handles it, being split apart from her beloved and-oh wait that's right!" He snapped his fingers. "You don't have a mother because she's-"

Pansy jumped back, a lightning bolt flashing into the ground he had occupied an instant earlier.

If the anger that Coby directed at him some while ago seemed to be akin to a thousand suns, Laxus had all the fury of million supernovas, and Pansy didn't even need to go into the 'looks that could kill' department.

"I will fucking rip your head off, you goddamn clown," growled Laxus through his teeth, lightning surging all around his person.

And Pansy grinned.

_'89…'_

"Now _that's_ the spirit. All we need is suitable music to fit the mood for our grand final waltz." He stretched his arms out, feeling his _Iron Feelers _cover his person.

And they charged, one roaring with blazing anger, the other laughing like an asylum patient.

* * *

**Finally got this chapter done. So sorry it took me a while. Tons of video games and real life got in the way. And I suppose laziness too.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. If you wish to critique me, by all means!**

**And I am glad to announce that I finally have the story for the first part of Coby's Magical Misadventure planned out! It will be that of a trilogy.**

**We are in the first obviously, and the second part will be when FT canon rolls around(when Lucy appears) and I am contemplating when to do the third part. I am leaning towards the timeskip as the suitable choice.**

**Also, be sure to check out my poll! It has no impact on the story but I do like see what you guys think Coby should end up with. So far in my mind, I am playing out the scenarios of different girls in my head. What the final product remains to be seen.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K.**


	18. Chapter 18

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively. I do own Raptor and Pansy Kujaku, and any other OCs I create.**

* * *

_Charybdis Isle._

Two iron fists clashed in the courtyard of the mansion; one fashioned from hair magic, the other from sheer willpower. The shockwave of the meeting made the fog dissipate in an instant, both combatants leaping back instantly.

With a roar, Laxus fired a stream of lightning towards the Feeler mage from his open palm. Pansy raised his arms, his hair strands glowing green. The lightning bolt was rebounded and struck into the mansion behind the blond, who didn't even so much as flinch as the impact sent debris and moss flying in all directions. Pansy gave a smirk.

"I knew that your parents were a touchy subject, but I never thought it would be _this_ touchy," he oiled. Laxus remained silent, his glare burning into the technicoloured haired man's amused visage. "When we meet up again do tell me what other things you despise. Seeing like this," he smacked his lips in anticipation, "is quite the _festivity_ for me~"

Laxus' response was turning into lightning. Using Lightning Body, Laxus sped around Pansy and delivered a flying knee to the back of his neck, hoping to either cause a contusion in the clown's skull or upper spine. Only that he felt like his knee met iron and he flew a distance away, seething in pain.

Pansy staggered thanks to the blow, but his head turned to Laxus' landing, grin as wild as a hyena, and snapped his fingers…

And the ground around Laxus exploded, sending him flying and crashing into the stone wall. He slumped back down, groaning.

'_How the hell was he able to do that! Some other magic?'_ thought the blond as his eyes darted around the courtyard. The fog has returned back thanks to the statue and he couldn't see what was making the courtyard a minefield.

"You shouldn't be distracted! Laxy-boy!" yelled Pansy as he leapt high into the air, twirling and twisting like a professional gymnast and landing in front of Laxus. The Lightning mage blocked his spin-kick, only for his jaw to explode in pain as Pansy used the momentum to deliver a back-handed blow, knocking him from his feet to land several meters away. Laxus pulled himself up, spat out some blood, and converted to Lightning Body again.

"Not so fast!" Pansy snapped both of his fingers in dramatic fashion, and Laxus barely escaped the fiery explosions of whatever mine Pansy had set on the ground. Streaking across the battlefield as a lightning bolt, he speared towards the Dark Guild member at full speed.

His fist struck Pansy's forehead, his face a display of pain and shock. With a forward push and swing of his arm, Laxus sent the technicolor-haired man staggering back. Drawing on his Lightning magic, Laxus gave a roar as he let loose a flurry of magic-powered punches all over Pansy's person. Head, arm, shoulder, chest, it didn't matter to the blonde. He wanted only to batter every single bone in the Dark Guild assassin's body. With a right hook to the cheek, Pansy was sent crashing into the mansion's left wing. Laxus brought up his right arm. Lightning crackling around it.

_"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction! Raging Bolt!"_

A lightning bolt crashed down, and Laxus growled in frustration as the magic-powered thunderbolt was redirected back to the heavens.

He gripped his fists tight with anger. What would it take to kill this guy? He already had enough cuts to bleed to death, and had still managed to reflect one of his spells. This was no ordinary opponent.

The man staggered out of the smoldering remains of the mansion. Laxus could see a black bruise seen on his forehead, only partially concealed by his multi-colored locks. Blood streamed from his crown.

"Not bad at all, Laxy-Boy. Had I not deflected that spell just there," he showed his palms to the blondeas he slowly walked forward. There were noticeable burn marks on his hands. "I would have been turned to dust." Pansy's grin was a cruel mix of giddy and nauseating. "You're above 90. That's for sure."

"Wanna be turned to nothing? Don't worry I can do it for you," growled the blond as he cracked his knuckles. He converted to Lightning Body again and darted straight at the clown, intent on ramming him through the mansion and off the cliff. Pansy leapt high, avoiding his charge to land on a knocked-over beam. From there he leapt onto the exposed balcony and flipped elegantly back into the courtyard. Laxus turned up, spearing towards the Dark Guild assassin. Pansy held his arm up towards him, his hair strands glowing green and his smirk splitting his face in half.

But Laxus wasn't an S-Class mage for nothing. He phased out of Lightning Body, using the speed he used while in his magic form as momentum and delivered a flying elbow to the surprised man's face, sending him skidding across the courtyard and into the stone wall. He bursted through the wall and stopped outside the courtyard, his body unmoving.

The lightning mage took the time to breathe. He began to walk, hands gripped in anger towards the Technicolor haired man, still on the ground. His left foot crackled with electricity as he planted his foot on the ground in his third pace.

And, like something out of a horror movie, Pansy turned his head at an oblong angle, grinning insanely. Laxus froze, too horrified to react, as Pansy raised his left arm and snapped his fingers.

Laxus roared in pain as he was sent flying high into the air, He felt a sledgehammer slam into his right arm, and a hand grab him by his shirt. Iron-enhanced blows struck all over his body as Pansy eagerly returned the favour. A final left hook sent Laxus crashing to the ground, his shirt torn, rolling and slamming into the mansion wall.

"You…" breathed Pansy, his gaze locked on the dazed Fairy Tail mage. "Are…so…" His eyes widened, veins bulged, cheek muscles sore from his rictus smile. "DAMN FUN!"

He charged wildly at the mage, who was pulling himself to his feet, hair strands glowing blue. Pansy saw the blond smirk, his bangs covering his eyes, as he raised his right hand, index and middle fingers pointed upward. Then he felt his nerves catch fire as lightning leapt up from the ground to sear his body. He cried out in agony, shaking and convulsing as the lightning redlined his nervous system. The glow intensified, and then exploded.

Tied up above the courtyard, Coby stirred.

Laxus breathed in and out, clutching his right arm as he staggered to his feet and walked slowly towards the unconscious pinkette.

"Don't…." he panted, "worry….Coby…I'll…"

"Be satisfying me?" said Pansy's voice.

Laxus heard a finger snap, but he was in no condition to react. The mine detonated, sending him skidding across the courtyard. He groaned in pain as he came to a halt, grabbing his right arm as the shock of landing on it sent spikes of torment throughout his body. He turned his head, breathing out of his teeth and his eyes widened.

Pansy was standing there. His body was a singed, gashed, sizzling ruin, the skin scorched black by the spell. His chest was bare, revealing revealing iron hard muscles and countless scars. The clown limped towards him, favoring his left leg, a grin plastered over his nightmare face.

"You've certainly lived up to your expectations Laxy-Boy," wheezed Pansy, also very tired. "Very smart of you, planting that lightning circle." He paused to let in more oxygen. "And when I came over it you nearly killed me. Preparation and innovation on the fly can be quite the handy tools in battle."

Laxus said nothing, teeth bared as he tried to gather his strength. But his right arm was in agony.

"I bet you're wondering what caused the explosions," Pansy went on. "Well, like you I also took the time to prepare." His hands played with his long locks, specifically the red ones. "If I hadn't, I'd have been in real trouble against you, considering what Mirajane and Coby-boy took out of me, and all my precious Blast Feelers scattered about."

Laxus got to his knees, his breathing loud and hard as he seethed through his teeth.

"I won't bother defining what my Blast Feelers do." He chuckled. "Since you already found out." His right hand streamed hard through his long multi-colored hair, and red strands floated gently in the night breeze near Laxus. Pansy raised the same right hand.

"First hand…"

He snapped his fingers. The red strands glowed for a tenth of a second, then exploded, driving away the lingering mist.

Pansy waited a moment, then limped towards the blast zone. A scorched Laxus lay on the ground, his clothes tattered and burnt, his skin seared an angry red. Pansy licked his lips as he loomed over the blonde and grabbed him by his hair, seeing his drained visage, struggling to just keep consciousness.

"I'll put in a good word to Papa Ivan for you," smirked Pansy. "So do keep alive okay?" He let go of his head and began to limp away, taking a deep inhale of the fires that flickered here and there about the courtyard. He exhaled with a pleasured sigh, as if he was smelling roses.

"Such an amorous smell, the smell of battle, blood, and carnage," he mused as he turned his head towards the front door.

But Coby wasn't there.

"Huh?" Pansy exclaimed, taken by surprise.

Before he could extend his Sensory Feelers, he heard a rustling sound, then felt his left leg explode in agony. He yelled in pain and anger as he looked down.

Out of the mangled bushes was an awake, exhausted, strained, but very angry Coby Marinford. Both of his index fingers were buried in his leg, as were his teeth, blood dribbling from the punctured flesh. Pansy's eyes widened as he backhanded the pinkette away, sending him skipping along the courtyard floor like a stone on water. The pain in his leg remained, so strong that he could barely walk upon it. In spite of this, Pansy let out a laugh.

"I'm impressed Coby-boy!" he yelled as he staggered. "Breaking free of my knot during my fight with Laxy-boy, hiding in the bushes and waiting for the time to strike!" He let out a sharp yell of pain. "You're making me so hard right now! I can take you home with me and…" He felt a tapping on his shoulder and turned.

A fist caught him in the mouth, the impact sending him flying back into the mansion via a stained class window. He hit the floor, rolled, then crashed into a fireplace. He felt blood run from his nose, itself a mass of agony and almost certainly broken. As he tried to open his eyes he saw a now conscious Laxus.

If Coby's fury was that of a fire, then Laxus' was that of the sun. He was shaking in anger at the clown, lightning crackling all over his person.

"Never…" He growled. "lay your hands on my friends…"

His muscles began to bulge, and Pansy's eyes widened as Laxus grew taller. "Again…" He grew taller and broader, bursting out of his shirt and leaving his chest bare. "You bastard!" His pupil's vanished, leaving only the whites of his eyes and yellow thunder exploded from his person. Pansy noticed scales emerging from the skin of his arms, his canines lengthening into fangs.

"It can't be…" Pansy whispered. To his immense surprise, he felt a slight flutter of _fear._

"Laxus…?" groaned Coby as he looked at the bulging hulk that was his best friend. He leaned on the fountain as he tried to steady himself.

"Die and go back to hell where you belong!" Laxus reared back his head. "_Rairyu no!"_

"Impossible!" yelled Pansy. "You're a-!"

"_**HOUKOOO!"**_

A burst of lightning erupted from Laxus' mouth. Pansy screamed as he raised his arms to defend himself. His world became pain as the lightning flooded through him.

And then darkness.

* * *

_Sillaville Harbor_

A rumble of thunder reverberated across the waters. Inside the harbour, a man looked up from readying a boat to glance in the direction of Charybdis Isle. Between the darkness and the hovering mist, the island was barely visible.

Then all at once he saw a bright yellow light spear out of the mountaintop. His eyes narrowed.

He turned to his boat, grabbed the SE-Plug and wrapped it around it's arm. He got in and started the engine, slowly putting towards the island.

* * *

_Charybdis Isle_

Laxus breathed hard.

As his pupils reverted back to normal, he noticed the hole he had made. The blast had gored through the mansion, out over the cliff, down to the island forest below.

If that fiend had survived the blast, he would have never survived the fall.

"Don't fuck with Fairy Tail," he growled to no one in particular as he grabbed his right upper arm and picked his way through the wreckage of the ruined house. His eyes fell upon the struggling Coby.

"Coby!"

The pinkette, who was staring at the blonde perked up. "Laxus…"

The blonde ran over to the marine, kneeling down beside him. "You okay? Are you hurt? Did he do anything to you?"

"I'm fine," groaned Coby as he tried to stand up. He felt a hand on his shoulder and Laxus looked down at him.

"Don't move okay. You're in no shape to do, like, anything right now." Coby looked to the side a little, away from the blonde.

"Is Mirajane…" Laxus feared the worst.

"She's okay…banged up. She's supposedly on the coast…"

"You really think I'd take that guy's word?"

"True, I guess not." Coby let out a soft chuckle and a smile, to which brought a smile to Laxus' face as well. But he saw all the bruises on Coby's body, and if he was struggling to even stand…

"I'm sorry…" The pinkette looked back at the blond, his hair covering his eyes.

"For what?"

"Isn't it obvious!" barked Laxus, tears of remorse stinging at his eyes. "It's my fault! I mean-look at you! You were already hurt after fighting that Murklurker and weren't supposed to do anything physical related for like, a week! And I made it worse for you…" He looked strained and looked away in shame. "All because of my stupid pride…"

"Laxus…"

"You could have gotten even more hurt," he muttered. "You're more fragile than me or Mirajane! You're from a different world and can't…." He was at a loss of words. "You don't have magic and yet, you…" He felt a hand on his knee and turned to see a smiling Coby.

"I knew what I was getting into. My original plan was to not fight, even though I wanted to. Even though I never knew Smithee and Kujira, as a member of Fairy Tail I felt obligated to give them retribution somehow. And my duty as well."

"Your duty?" pondered the blond.

"I probably would have joined in on the fight anyway. Fighting bad people is-" He stopped. "_Was_ my job, and my dream. I had to save innocent lives whenever I went out on duty as a Marine. I trained hard every day under my teacher for over half a year to figh the evils of the world. I was a victim of those evils once and…I can't just stand by and do nothing, even if I was ordered not to fight."

"Coby…" breathed Laxus with a tinge of awe at his younger friend. Then his face softened with sadness.

'_That's right…you wanted to fight in a military at such a young age, something not even I or even that blockhead Natsu would do…you're a child soldier…yet your mentality and maturity is….'_ There was silence between the two guildmates, the only sound coming from the small scattered fires and the cricket's chirp.

"Okay then, we gotta move back to the camp and find Mira. We can't just sit out here all night after all," Laxus managed to pick up the disabled marine and carry him on his back. Coby wrapped both of his arms around his neck.

"Sorry to be such a burden…"

"Don't be. You'd do the same for anyone."

"Hey Laxus?"

"Yeah?"

"Back there, when you hulked up with all those muscles, you yelled out something about a 'thunder dragon' or whatever it was." Coby sensed Laxus tense up, both physically and emotionally.

"You saw then?"

"And heard."

Laxus remained silent, thinking up an answer as he left the ruined front gate and headed down into the cave. He moved slowly, taking care not to jolt the battered marine.

"If I were to tell you, could you keep it a secret?"

"Cross my heart." Laxus cleared his throat.

"What you saw was me entering in my Dragon Force mode, a form that only Dragon Slayer mages can obtain."

"Dragon Slayer?" Asked Coby.

"A Dragon Slayer is a mage that has the spells capable of slaying dragons, hence the name. In addition, I can eat lightning to boost my magic power, and lightning can't hurt me in any way or form. So when it comes to electricity…"

"You're invincible?" Laxus nodded, stepping slowly over some rocks on the tunnel floor.

"Yeah. I'm not the only Dragon Slayer, apparently that brat, Natsu, he's also one, but specializes in fire."

"I see. How did you learn such a magic, and who taught you?" asked Coby, amazed. Laxus' shoulders slumped.

"My old man."

"Master Makarov?" The blonde shook his head again and spoke with a sullen tone.

"My dad." Coby was about to reply but stopped himself, remembering what Makarov had told him.

_"Ivan, my son, was a danger to the guild. He was showing signs of extreme insanity, so I had to banish him to protect the other guild members."_

_Coby was shocked. Makarov was willing to exile family in order to protect others? He couldn't help but admire his determination but yet…_

_"Was Laxus close to Ivan?"_

_"Perhaps. You see Laxus as a child had quite a weak body. Ivan, whether out of pity or care, I don't know, implanted lacrima into his body in order to make Laxus stronger."_

'_The lacrima then…'_ Coby thought, putting two and two together. "I see…" The pinkette's curiosity nagged at him to ask more on this Ivan character, but judging by Laxus' body language after saying "My dad", he did not ask further.

"So your dad…he gave you the power to be a Dragon Slayer?" he asked.

"Yeah. When I was a kid he implanted Dragon Slayer lacrima inside my body. I found out it was Dragon Slayer magic during a job once and decided to keep it a secret from the guild. Not even gramps knows."

"Why's that?" asked Coby. There was only silence.

"On second thought, I won't ask further. I mean, it's family business and I don't want to intrude and all and…"

"Thanks." Coby leaned into him, closing his eyes as he felt exhaustion claw at him.

The pinkette gave a grunt of acknowledgement as sleep took him, and Laxus smiled as he looked at the pinkette on his back. He felt a drip fall on his forehead and he looked up. Rain was slowly beginning to fall.

"Crap. I gotta double time to find Mira, or else we're all dead of hypothermia." Laxus broke into a run, his arms clenching Coby's legs as he darted out of the tunnel and onto the mountain path.

* * *

_Half hour later_

There were many trees in the manor courtyard. They stood as they had always done, as the rain fell to put out the fires, running down the statue of the naked woman and serpent.

Then one of the trees began to grow a face, and it opened its eyes.

"Good, whoever was causing all this commotion is gone," the face said, its tone identifying itself as male as the face began to protrude from the tree. A hand followed, then legs, and soon a whole body wrapped in a cloak emerged from the tree. He took off the hood.

He was tall, broad, and highly muscular. His skin was tanned, and his brown eyes were hard as stone. His chocolate-colored hair was like long strips of confetti, and he had a unique dark streak running over his left eye.

Not minding the craters or destruction of the abandoned estate, he walked up to the statue and inspected it. He turned his head around, making sure no one was around to see. He noticed the jar spewing the fog that covered the ground up to his ankles. He knelt down and looked inside, and noticed something glowing. He reached in and grabbed the glowing object, and with a hard tug, pulled it from the stone jar. In his right hand was a glowing blue-gray sapphire the size of a baseball. He could see the glittering light from within the jewel.

The man allowed himself a small smile. "Mission accomplished." He reached into his pocket from within his cloack's confines and drew out a small transparent orb. He channeled magic into it, and he saw a shadowed face from within.

"You have located it I assume?" said the face of another man from within the Communication Lacrima.

"Yes Master. There was a confrontation earlier at the site, so I proceeded through the forest carefully to avoid contact. The Nepta Sapphire is, fortunately, untouched from the prior battle." The man could see the shadowed face smiling a little.

"Good. Luck favors us then. Only a few more keys remain and then…"

"Zeref will be freed," replied the man.

"And our goals will be realized. Head to the rendezvous point in Seven at the Legan Penninsula just north of where you are. Tread lightly Azuma. Grimoire Heart cannot allow the Council of Fiore to know of your activities. Ultear is showing promise as a legal mage and hopefully our plan will proceed as scheduled. We cannot afford any problems at this point. Understood?"

"Yes Master Hades."

Azuma closed communication with the lacrima. Pocketing the Netpa Sapphire, he stepped back into the tree, merging back into it.

And disappeared, as if no one was there.

* * *

**FINALLY THANK GOD FUCK**

**So sorry for the long update. after I finished Batman AC I got distracted with my other projects, school, and new vidya like League of Legends and Dragons Dogma(get it if you like hard RPGs, like Demons Souls). I highly rec the latter.**

**And the Char arc is wrapped up, and seeing how it may take a bit until I update, here's a preview of whats to come:**

**With the S-Class Trials on the horizon, Coby has to prepare to help Mirajane to pass, but nothing is set in stone and rifts form between comrades. ****What will happen? Also the poll is still up on my profile. It does not affect this story's outcome.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K(thanks broski)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

_Sillaville, three days later._

"You did what!?" roared Makarov as he stared at his three Guild members in the local hospital of the port town. Behind him was a blank-faced Gildarts and two very worried Strauss children.

To the far right was Mirajane in bed, bandages around her abdomen and an arm brace around her left shoulder. Her face was bandaged too, with only her eyes uncovered, staring down at her white sheets.

In the center bed was Coby Marinford, his legs and arms held up in casts and his body bandaged aplenty. He was biting his lower lip.

And in the left bed was Laxus sitting on the bed, hands clasped and looking down.

"I said what I said…" murmured Laxus, his voice dull and tired. "We came here to get payback for Smithee and Kujira…and ran into Deaths Head Caucus…"

"One of them…" added Coby. Gildarts raised his eyes.

"One Dark Guild guy did this?"

"He caught me by surprise…" grumbled Coby as he looked away. Mirajane muffled in agreement. The dwarf pinched his nose.

"I can't believe out of all the…" He looked up, eye's angry at his grandson. "Why would you do such a thing!"

Laxus kept on staring at the floor. "Because our guild's pride was…"

"What?" growled Makarov as he walked up to the blond. "Tarnished? Trampled on? Disgraced?" Laxus made no reply, looking away.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he barked, and Laxus obeyed.

"For one Dark Guild member do this much damage, have you even thought of what could have happened if all of Deaths Head Caucus was there on that island? Do you have any idea," seethed Makarov. "What could have happened to you?!"

"Look I…"

"Master is right you know," added Gildarts. "You not only placed yourself in harm's way, but also your friends, and all for the sake of our Guild's pride. If we had to bust up faces just because we were made fun at in the paper or something we'd-"

"Look I know!" yelled Laxus, gripping his hands tighter.

"Sure doesn't seem like it!" snapped Makarov. "You read some columnist bashing our guild in the magazine and decided-" He made a satirical face and started to mimic Laxus' voice. "I'm gonna kick the ass of whoever made this shame in the first place. Oh! I know! I'll bring along Mirajane and Coby and-"

"I KNOW!" roared Laxus standing up, looking down at the dwarf, tears stinging his eyes. "I screwed up! I…" He looked towards Coby, who was silent during the exchange. In a moment, Laxus' rage deflated like a balloon, sitting back down on the bed. "I majorly screwed up…"

Makarov and Gildarts remained silent, observing his grandson.

"I never meant Coby to be hurt…" whispered Laxus. "I know he wasn't able to fight what with his injuries from Pickerel…I just…"

"I wanted to come along." Makarov and Gildarts turned their heads towards the prone pink haired boy. "I felt the same way as Laxus, well, in a sense."

"How so Prince?" asked Lisanna as she went up to Coby's bedside. Mirajane rolled her eyes and muffled something unintelligible.

"I…I wanted to hunt down the ones who did what they did our guild members. I may not have known them, but maybe I met them back at the guild when you guys hosted that party for me," said Coby. "I came along because I thought that with my unique precognition I could help Laxus and Mirajane. I wanted them to rest in peace, knowing that they'd been avenged." He looked down. "Except everything went wrong…"

"Hmmm…" Makarov looked back at Coby. "It's because you were a Marine isn't it? You thought pirates were still on the island and were the ones causing it."

The pink haired boy tried to shrug. "You can take the Marine out of fight, but you can't take the fight out of the Marine."

"Bringing justice," added Gildarts. "But you only made yourself worse kid. I mean, the doctors in Pickerel told you to not do anything close to fighting. When I think about it, your Rokushiki is almost self-destructive."

"It's not." Coby looked up at the auburn haired man. "I'm just…" His fingers twiddled with the plaster of his suspended casts. "Underdeveloped."

Gildarts nodded in understanding. "I can see where you're coming from." He turned towards Laxus. "Did the thought of walking away ever occur to you when you fought this Dark Guild guy?"

The lightning mage sighed. "That's…what I intended to do from the start…"

"Then what made you fight back when you had the chance to escape?" asked Makarov. Laxus was silent, his face ripe with guilt and apprehension.

"Well?"

"It was…" Coby spoke up, looking at Makarov. "Your _son_." Laxus' head snapped up to stare at the Marine. The two seniors did likewise.

Then it hit them.

Gildarts gave an "Oh." Makarov was silent, eyes closed but he nodded.

"I see then…"

"Listen Grandpa…" whispered Laxus. "I'll learn from this…I won't let my hot head guide me like that again…I don't know what I would have done if…" He looked at Coby and Mirajane, her attention now on Laxus too. "If they…"

"I understand," said the dwarf, placing a hand on his grandson's knee. "It's clear you have learned a lesson from this. I'm relieved." Gildarts nodded in tandem.

"You are going to be stuck doing the bathrooms until the Trials come about though. I can't let you off that easily," Makarov said, turning around and walking away from Laxus' bed.

"I understand. When we're cleared to head back I'll be on the bathrooms like Cana is on whiskey."

Mirajane muffled something.

"Yes Mira, she's moved onto whiskey. Still goes for the run of the mill rum though." The silver haired girl rolled her eyes.

"I still can't get over how kids my age can drink…" murmured Coby. Gildarts grinned.

"You'll understand someday kiddo."

"When are you good to go?" asked Makarov.

"A week. Coby's gonna be hyped up on meds and given a ton of herbs. The doctor won't let him up for at least that long."

Mirajane muffled something in agreement. Coby sighed.

"I'm gonna go insane aren't I?" he said rhetorically. Makarov gave the pink haired boy an eye.

"What doesn't break you makes you stronger. If you are going to help Mirajane in Trials you'll need all the rest you can get. Once you're out, you'll only have a month and a half to help her so I suggest you heal up, then hit the ground running," said the dwarf. Coby grinned.

"Sure thing Master!"

"And no Super hero antics alright?" Gildarts added, smiling.

"Don't worry Mr. Clive!" chirped Lisanna. "I'll take good care of my Prince no problem! He won't need to be a super hero!" She then clasped both of her hands and rested her hand on them, her big blue eyes all puppy like. "Because he's _my_ super hero."

Coby chuckled nervously, especially when Lisanna knelt down next to him. He could see the dark cloud forming over Mirajane. She rolled her eyes and mumbled something.

And Gildarts and Makarov laughed, Laxus grinning at it all.

* * *

_Magnolia Town Train Station. One week and four days later._

"Home at la-whoah!" Coby stumbled out of the train, his legs wobbling. His vision was blurry, and he had felt funny for over a week. A pair of arms steadied him from behind. .

"Easy pill-popper," joked Laxus, grabbing his right arm. Mirajane was on his left.

"How can he even walk with all of that vicadin in him is beyond me," commented the goth.

"Thank goodness he finished up his prescription then."

"Wow…everything seem so blurry…like my ole glasses when they fog up," stammered Coby. He regained his balance and turned towards the silver haired girl that was his partner. He still had a few patches across his body, but he managed to heal fast, what with herbs, the casts, and the technology available. Even Coby had to admit he healed faster than usual.

He would have thought more about it, but he was too high to think about anything.

"Who wants…" he blinked. "To go to…the bathroom." He pointed lazily towards the restroom and was about to run it, until he was bopped upside the head by Mirajane.

"Ladies room dork. Urinals," He turned him around, as if he was a mechanical toy soldier. "That way." The pink haired boy smiled stupidly.

"Thank you Mirajane Strauss…you…" He blinked more. "Are alifesaver…" His words came out too fast. He stumbled into the restroom, Laxus not too far behind. Mirajane huffed and walked inside the ladies restroom to handle her business.

Soon enough, the trio were out and on their way back towards Coby's apartment.

"We're just gonna dump him there and he'll fall asleep right?" asked Laxus. Mirajane nodded.

"I have the perfect knock-out punch for him." She smirked. The blond raised an eyebrow.

"You're not gonna hit him are you? He is still kinda fragile." Up ahead the pink-haired boy was balancing himself on the ledge overlooking the river below. Some boatmen had seen him, and were staring as if the marine was in a circus on a tight rope.

"Hey kid! Be careful!"

The drugged up boy waved slowly, then he stumbled, skipping forward several times…

Then he landed with a perfect hand-stand, and hand-walked across the ledge. He could faintly hear the boatmen's gasps, then sighs of relief.

"It's cool!" he stammered. "I am A-Okay!" And he flipped back up onto the sidewalk pavement, making a pose similar to a gymnast as if they finished a contest.

"Gold medal!" He cheered, and fell back on his back, looking up at Mirajane and Laxus. "How did…" He slurred. "Did you guys get so tall…"

"Let's go," chuckled Laxus, lifting Coby up by his shoulder, Mirajane doing likewise. "I wonder what'd happen if he drank now…"

"He'd pass out. He can't hold an ant's weight in liquor remember?"

"Oh yeah, true." Soon enough, the two of them made it by Coby's apartment.

"I'm gonna speak with the landlord about Coby and why he's been gone for a while, I'll leave him to you." Laxus went in another direction towards the front office of the complex and Mirajane walked up the steps towards her partner's home. Using his keys, she opened the door and walked inside. Once again, there was dust everywhere.

"Achoo!" sneezed the pilled-up marine. "Man…oh hey, this is my place." He grinned cheekily at Mirajane. "Thanks for…taking me…home…" For some creepy reason, Mirajane smiled back.

"Anytime."

She gave him a hard head-butt, sending him onto the couch with a crash. He was out like a light, snoring. Mirajane grinned and walked to him…

"Sleep tight, you shrimp loving dork."

She smiled a little, took a blanket from his room and laid it over him, and then walked out of the apartment.

* * *

_Four days later_

Coby stretched out as he inspected himself in the mirror in the guild hall's bathroom. He then began to brush his teeth.

'_Stupid landlady…'_

After he got back home at the Timberwood apartments, and according to Laxus was incredibly hyped on meds, Laxus had tried to tell the landlady that Coby was at the Sillaville hospital and couldn't pay rent at the moment due to low income.

The old woman was stern but after inspecting the boy himself, who was recovering from a massive headache, came to the conclusion that he was telling the truth and let him off the hook…lightly. She needed some money to cover utilities and thus cut off Coby's water pipe until he can find a way to pay that alongside the rent.

As a result he had to bathe and do his grooming over at the guild, along with using the friggin bathroom for his business too.

Worse, he still owed Laxus and Gildarts some Jewels as well. He would need to ask them how much.

Over the last four days he had been doing light work outs, getting his muscles back in shape, though not overly exerting himself. On top of that, he'd done some very light jobs for some cash, such as being a waiter, helping clean a person's yard, and finding some herbs in the forest outside Fiore.

He finished brushing his teeth and began to comb his hair a little, and saw Laxus dressed in a janitorial jumpsuit walk into the bathroom.

"Yo."

"Hey."

Laxus began to mop the floors, the mop sloshed with soapy water.

"Still on janitor duty huh?"

"Till the Trials."

"You're handling it well, I'd think you'd be more…resistant to this."

"I deserved it," Laxus replied. "Nothing else to it." Coby watered his head a little.

"I see. Well, if you need any help." He turned back and smiled at the taller blond. "Just holler."

"Will do," the lighting mage replied, and Coby put away his grooming utensils in his bag and headed on out to the Guild hall.

"I'm thinking of doing a job today for some money. Wanna come?"

"There's the other bathrooms I need to do to," groused Laxus as he opened a stall. "Damnit! Why do people never flush?!"

"One or two?" asked Coby from the door. Laxus reached in and flushed.

"One thankfully…"

"You think Natsu did it?"

"Probably." Coby shrugged.

"Well, I'm gonna get breakfast then I'm off to do a job. Remember that furniture place?"

"The one with that crazy glasses chick?"

"She's not crazy Laxus, just enthusiastic. She requested me specifically to do some deliveries for her. Pay is around thirty grand, enough to cover this month's rent."

"Alright then," He set about continuing cleaning. "Later."

"Later." And Coby left and headed towards the guild hall, taking a sit next to Gildarts, who was drinking…something and looked relatively bushed and grumbled "morning" at Coby's own "Good morning!" Behind him business continued through out Fairy Tail. Macao and Wakaba were trying hit on some random girl, Gray and Natsu were bickering, followed up by Erza breaking them and then proceeding to bicker with Mirajane.

Out of the corner of Coby's eye he saw a head poke through from one of the hallways outside the guild hall. He turned to focus in on the hallway, thinking it to be Laxus, only for the head to disappear.

It had blue hair.

"Good morning!" chirped a pleasant Lisanna, sitting next to him. She had a little trouble climbing up on the stool. Coby turned and smiled.

"Morning Lisanna, you look to be in high spirits today."

"Yeah, my sister is taking on a solo job today so it's gonna be me and Elfman," said the silver haired girl, her blue eyes sparkling. "So you gonna take on a job today?"

"After breakfast yeah, just some deliveries for that furniture place." Lisanna perked up.

"You mean from that place form when you gave me a carriage ride?" Coby nodded.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Can I come too?" Coby blinked as the girl leaned towards him.

"Well...I don't know I mean…"

"I won't ask for any money at all! I won't be any trouble at all!" Now she was pleading.

"But you know how your sister feels about you hanging out-"

"Please~?" She batted her eyes and the look in her eyes.

Gildarts sniggered. "Awww, is someone gonna fall for the puppy dog eyes routine?"

He seemed to have regained his vigor. normally Coby would have called him out but was still stammering at the sight of the eleven year old.

"Pretty please~? We can go for ice cream after!"

Coby's eyes frantically searched the guild hall. Mirajane was now brawling with Erza and making a scene. He even caught another glimpse of the blue-haired head poking out from the hallway. He tried to cover his face drinking his orange juice from his mug.

"Uh…I-"

"Gildarts!" yelled out a certain voice. "Fight me!"

An instant later both Coby and Gildarts were reeling from swift kicks to their heads. Natsu landed behind them, laughing as he straightened up.

"Hahaha! Now that will make you-"

The younger pink haired boy trailed off as his seniors turned to stare at him, their drinks foaming from their mouths. In Coby's eyes he saw annoyance, and a twinge of anger. In Gildarts' he saw amusement, and a dash of sadism. He paled.

"Glare."

"Grin."

Lisanna recoiled. "They literally just said their expressions!"

Coby's fist lashed out, lightning-fast, sending Natsu flying across the hall. He landed on Gray, and in moments the pair were fighting, fire and ice blasting in all directions. Erza was too busy grappling with a certain Take Over mage to notice.

Gildarts looked down at Coby, grinned, and held out his hand.

"Skin me."

And Coby returned the high five hard. Thankfully, Lisanna had gone over to inspect Natsu's brawl with the nudist ice mage.

"Looks like you haven't lost your strength."

"Been doing some light workouts. Can't be lazy now can I," Coby took a bite out of a donut he got this morning from a local coffee shop. "I gotta say thanks to Natsu. I don't know what I could have done if he didn't round-housed my skull."

"Something tells me you wanted Lisanna to come with you on that job." Gildarts had a cheeky grin. "Oh ho~? Going behind Mirajane's back for her younger sister eh?"

"It's not like that," retorted Coby. "I do want her to come. Mirajane wouldn't though."

"I swear if you end up married to her you're so gonna be whipped," Gildarts finished his drink and patted Coby on the head.

"I'll stand up to her if she goes overboard on me. I'm not a pushover."

"I don't think you would." The marine looked up at the auburn haired man.

"Wanna bet?"

"With the money you have? You'll-" Gildarts ducked his head, Gray flying over and crashing into the bar. The black haired boy growled as he recovered.

"Natsu!" He jumped back into the fray, a giant ice hammer manifesting in his grip. Natsu's hands were wreathed in flames.

"Bring it on!" And the brawl continued.

"End up having to use the guild hall for showering for the next year." Coby rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." He finished his drink and got up. "I'm going out on my job now." Gildarts stood up and fell in beside him.

"You heading out too?"

"Yeah. Got an S-Class job to tackle." The Crush Mage held up a hand before the pink haired teen can make a comment. "Relax, the Murklurker poison is out of my system. I have capable antibodies for future poison though, so that always helps."

"Alright." Coby shrugged. "Just worried about you is all." He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to the smiling Gildarts.

"I appreciate it, but in truth I'm the one who should be worried about you kid. You got rather banged up bad in Pickerel and Charybdis. You sure you're feeling up to taking on a heavy delivery job?" Coby gave him a smile.

"Can't let Mirjane down. I am her partner for the Trials after all." Gildarts looked away sheepishly and scratched his stubble.

"Yeah…sure…"

As the two of them left the guild hall, Coby felt a presence nearby. He turned, looking past the hubbub of the guild, and the various brawls, to see what it was.

There was Cana Alberona, the girl who trounced him in that drinking contest when he first joined the guild. And she was staring right at him, eyes narrowed.

As their gazes met, Cana blinked and looked away, turning back to her cards. If her visage was anything to go by, her mood was sour.

'What was that all about?' he thought, as the two stepped outside Fairy Tail's gates.

"Well. I'll see you whenever." Gildarts waved. "Get used to drinking. When I come back, I wanna take you out bar hopping."

"I don't drink," retorted Coby sourly, blushing as he looked away. The sourness vanished as he looked up to Gildarts. "You take care yourself."

"Obviously. Later kid."

"Goodbye Mr. Clive." Gildarts rounded about at the pink haired boy walking away.

"Hey Coby!" The mentioned boy turned confused. "Don't call me mister. Makes me feel old. You can just call me Gildarts or Gil, whichever is fine."

"If you insist." He shrugged as he turned about and trotted down the street towards Furn Gully's, eager to get his legs pumping. Gildarts smiled as he watched him go.

'_That kid…he reminds me of myself way back when._' thought the Crush Mage to himself, remembering happier times when he was as full of life as Coby. Not that he wasn't _already _as vibrant as when he was a teen, but it was a fair point.

As the memories warmed him, he began to think of _them_.

Of her.

And her sister.

And of _him._

And the good mood was gone. He shook his head, a scowl racing across his features.

He began to walk away, trying to focus on the job that awaited him, when he heard what might have been someone tripping up. He glanced behind, wondering who or what it was.

There, standing behind the guild gate, looking down the street was a young girl. She had blue hair, and wore a bright yellow dress with a red stripe going down the middle. She looked to be around eleven years of age, same age as Natsu and Gray. She had a meek, shy air about her.

Meanwhile, Coby was continuing along the street, hands in his pockets, entirely oblivious to her eyes.

Gildarts grinned from ear to ear.

'_Looks like you got another admirer~'_ thought the auburn haired man to himself. He continued walking down his own path, his mood once again light.

Levy MacGarden exited the gates, paying no attention to Gildarts, and walked slowly after Coby Marinford.

* * *

**Unforgivable I know. Long time, only 3k words. This going to be a small arc leading up to the trials, so expect some character development and other hijinks, for better or for worse. Here's a preview of things to come possibly in the next chapter or two just for you guys:**

**Coby meets Levy and helps Mirajane prepare for the trials.**

**What? Did you expect me spoil everything for you? Peshaaaw~.**

**Reason for the long while? Chinese, Econ, Ballroom dance, laziness, applying for colleges, writing on DA, Psych, and other real life crap.**

**And with the recent revelation of Acnologia being a human kinda...offsets what I had in mind for the far future(pertaining to Lacui if I decide to involve them depending on the main One Piece big bad I bring over) but I can adapt. I got plenty of time until then.**

**So now Levy enters the mix, as I heard from other people that Levy could be a viable pairing option. She could...she could...maybe...maybe not. We shall see.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K. Read his fanfics, you'll love them.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

_Magnolia, three hours later._

Coby wiped brow off of his face after he came screeching to a stop in front of Furn Gully's. He checked off his list as he walked inside and saw a familiar peppy woman at the front desk.

"Delivery complete!" The bespectacled woman turned, chocolate banana in her mouth. She took a bite and swallowed, smile upon her visage.

"Yes-Yes-Yes! That's four deliveries in three hours! You are making me one lucky lady Marinford!" She beamed. Coby reached into his pocket, giving her the check and cash he got from his prior two deliveries. The dark haired woman took them gladly and gave the pink haired boy some bills.

"A little something under the table," she gave a wink. "For all your hard work!"

Coby rubbed the back of his head. "Oh thank you… I needed that."

"Eh? Why's that?" She said as she continued eat her treat.

"I'm…a bit strapped for cash at the moment. I need to get enough money to cover not only my rent, but also my utilities. Was away for a while and my landlady shut them down."

"Ah I shee…" She said as she talked while chewing. "The thick-hand bitchy type?"

Coby nodded. "I have one more right?"

"Yes-Yes-Yes! Just one more and you're done." Daphne quirked her head to the side in glee. "You're making business flow! I gotta hire ya more often, especially when foreclosures hit and people need to move out and in!"

"Yeah…" Coby rolled his eyes. "Sure. I'll start loading and begin my run. Thanks for the money."

"Anytime Coby!"

And the marine left the store and headed round the back of the building, where the garage and the loading area were. and helped load onto the massive cart. After filling out the dossier, he pulled the cart out of the garage, down the alley-way and onto the street, trotting like a horse. Many people gave him a wide berth, staring at the pink-haired boy pulling a furniture-loaded cart as if he was an ox, but Coby didn't mind. It allowed him to get a light workout while getting some cash in the process. At that point, he would do anything for some money to help cover his living expenses.

Except prostitution of course.

He saw the barges and boats on the river floating about, their occupants chatting back and forth as they carried their own cargo.

Coby felt himself sweat a little as he made a huge turn, pumping his legs as he pulled the carriage-sized cart down an avenue. His mind began to wander.

Nearly a month had passed since he had been teleported into this world against his will. He had met good people, and seen things he had never been able to see back in his world. People firing lightning, fire, and ice without the assistance of Devil Fruits or scientific experimentation. People transforming into animals and other creatures, again, without the power of the Devil Fruits. And all because of magic.

He turned his head, seeing a pair of friends in conversation, one of them using a pen to create floating neon letters in the air. He would never have imagined that magic could be an everyday commodity. When he first found out about magic when he was a young boy, his father always said that it was simple tricks to fool the eye. Pulling a coin out of nowhere from the behind the ear, sawing someone in half, and other oblong acts.

And now here he is, living the life of a member of a Magic Guild, living in a world where amazing things can happen.

It made the boy smile at having such fortune. But then he felt his smile evaporate as soon as it came.

He couldn't forget, that despite arriving there, in a wonderous world of magic…he was sent there to die. To die at the hands of a Shichibukai gone rogue.

And all of his Marine comrades: Commodore and Helmeppo, all dead by now. There was no way anyone can survive in the Calm Belt without Seastone on their ships. They would be easy Sea King targets.

And then there was Garp, the stern but clumsy Tashigi, and then there was Luffy…

He slowed down to a casual walk, head level but his eyes aimed at the ground in front of him. He could never see Luffy again…never fulfill his promise to him. His promise of becoming an Admiral and meeting him in the New World for their promised fight…

The boy bit his lips It was true…he felt happy being in Fairy Tail. Fiore was in a time of peace, there was no mistake of that. A Marine like him wasn't needed anymore.

But that longing for his old world. Flawed and corrupt with the Grand Pirate Era though it was, it was still home.

And then there was-

He turned his head to the sound of laughter. Apparently it was a family…

And he burst into a run, trying to block that image out, biting his lower lip.

He didn't see the concerned look on the face of the blue haired girl, the one that had been silently trailing him all day, now breaking into a jog to keep in pace.

-X-

_Fairy Tail Guild_

"Ow!"

"Mira, hold still!"

"But it stings!"

Lisanna rolled her eyes. "You're being a big baby sister."

She was dabbing Mirajane's arm that got scraped up in her most recent quarrel with Erza. This time it was a debate on who deserved the open Wizard Saint spot: an old man from the Mercenary Guild Silver Viper named Zeon (Lisanna couldn't grasp his last name) and a girl named Ultear Milkovich, one of the youngest candidates to ever to be nominated for the Wizard Saint position. Erza sided with the Zeon guy, for he was a former master of his Guild after stepping down, whereas Mirajane sided with Milkovich due to her youth.

And, of course, for the sake of opposing Erza.

Lisanna dabbed the antibacterial swap on the silver haired's right arm again, making her flinch.

"Ouch!" She shuffled away.

"Come on sis, you really shouldn't be acting like this. I mean, you were fine in the hospital when they sanitized off your wounds right?"

"I was too knocked out to even remember!" Mirajane complained, looking rather afraid as she covered her right arm. "Besides this hurts like crazy!"

"Well Mira, it's meant to prevent you from getting sick is all," said Elfman, who had his parakeet on his shoulder.

"But it stings~!" Lisanna sighed.

"You know, Natsu doesn't cry when he gets in his scraps with Gray, and who is to say Erza doesn't whine and-"

Mirajane held out her right arm, looking defiant and defeated and angry all at the same time. Lisanna gave her sister a look of reassurance.

"Look, I'm only looking out for you sis. I just want to help you." Mirajane sighed.

"Yeah I know…I want what's best for you too…" She flinched as she allowed her younger sister to finish cleaning her scrap. Lisanna put a band-aid on it.

"There! All better!" She giggled as she got to her feet. Mirajane muttered "Thanks" and patted the silver haired girl on the head. Lisanna took that as a sign to trot away giggling, leaving her siblings smiling. She then decided to transform, her body glowing as she felt herself reform.

She grew wings and took flight, Take Over: Bird taking effect, as she looked for a familiar pink haired individual and a certain blue cat.

"Hey Natsu! Happy!" she called out, swooping down and landing before the pink haired boy and feline. The Fire Dragon Slayer was pouting, nursing a notable bandaged bruise on his cheek. His spirits went up seeing the silver haired girl.

"Hey Lisanna." Beside the mage, the cat beamed. "Hi!" Lisanna smiled, leaning down to kiss Happy on the head.

"You okay? It looks like Coby bapped ya pretty hard," she commented. Natsu slammed his fist into his palm.

"Yeah but next time I'll get him! I'll beat him up, and Erza, and Mirajane, and Gray and-"

"You can't beat Erza though," commented Happy. "So what makes you think you'll beat up Coby?"

"Because I will! That's why!" Lisanna chuckled as she closed her eyes.

"I'm sure you'll be able to," She reopened them, her sapphire orbs sparkling. "So, what made ya add Coby to the list?" Happy began to snigger. Natsu whipped his head around at his companion.

"Shut your face!" He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "I mean, he was able to do all those things back in Pickerel right? So he's clearly got to be strong, not to mention there's him saving you and your siblings from those crazy cultists a while back as well!"

"Yeah that is true. You did challenge him back then. Also, you didn't have a chance to thank him." Natsu opened an eye towards his good friend.

"For what?" Lisanna puffed out her cheeks.

"For saving me and Elfman and Mira of course silly!" She looked away. "I can't believe my husband would have forgotten such a thing." Natsu paled.

"W-Wait! I haven't forgotten about all that! I mean, you have no idea how worried I was! I was gonna run off to save you before the old man flicked me into several tables!" pleaded the fire mage. "I-I'll make it up to you! When Coby comes back tonight I'll apologize." Lisanna smiled and patted Natsu on the head.

"Glad to hear it!" Then Natsu clenched his fists and stood up, looking all fired up.

"Then I'm gonna challenge him to a duel and pay him back for that hit for today! Then I'm gonna challenge Gildarts!"

And Lisanna felt deflated, rolling her eyes at the pink haired boy's declaration. Happy raised a paw in agreement.

"Aye sir!"

-X-

_Half Hour later. Magnolia Town_

Coby wheeled the cart back into the garage of Furn Gully's, whipping the sweat off of his brow. He saw the hat wearing dark haired woman, smiling as she ate at a popsicle.

"Here's the payment," He gave her a check and the paperwork he had the home owners wrote *for the furniture, to which she snapped it away from the white-clad boy.

"Yes-Yes-Yes! Thank you so much. I believe that is all the deliveries for all today," The bespectacled woman said. "You did all four jobs as entailed in the request I sent after all!"

"Mm-hmm." He nodded. "Thank you for hiring me. I really need the money."

"Yes-Yes-Yes, here's…" She mumbled as she suckled on her treat as she wrote in her checkbook, and handing the teen a cheque of Thirty-Two thousand Jewels. He blinked.

"Umm…I thought my payment was thirty?" The woman placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You said you needed the money right?" She winked. "Besides, what with your deliveries, two hundred Jewels can be re-earned any day. Besides, you get the job done, fast and efficient, and any employer would be stupid not to pay extra to keep ya around." Coby at blushed at her generosity.

"T-Thank you." He bowed. "This really means a lot. If you ever need deliveries, feel free to hire me. Well, this is, when I'm in town and available and what not." Daphne giggled.

"Yes-Yes-Yes of course I will keep that very well in mind!" She proceeded back towards the door heading into the store. "Once again, thanks a lot Mr. Marinford!"

"Anytime Daphne!" Waved back the boy as he trotted out of the garage, smile on his face. Finally, getting a good paycheck and not even straining his legs, what with pulling the several hundred-pound furniture in a cart. He stretched his arm out.

"Better turn this in at the bank," He mused, pocketing his cheque and walking out of the alley and out into the Magnolia streets.

After some time of walking, the sun high up was beginning to lower itself slowly but surely, Coby feeling the chill of the November wash over him as he walked in the shade of a tall building.

"Maybe I should go shopping for heavy clothes at some point," he mentioned as he walked into the town bank and deposited his check at the desk. After some talking with the kind receptionist, he left, a thousand Jewels on hand for pocket money. He took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp fall air. Coby looked up, seeing the sky turn orange. Hands in his pockets he walked along the boulevard, eager to find a restaurant of some kind. He got out of the street for a horse drawn carriage to trot on by.

And in the reflection of one of the shiny parts of the cart, he saw a bob of blue hair behind him. Curious, Coby turned his head.

But there was no blue hair. There was only the retreating carriage, and the people going about their business.

Coby quirked an eye up and shrugged, continuing his walk as he passed by South Gate Park. The park was dug into the land, with a giant tree at the center and steps leading in and out of crater-like park. He sniffed the air and smiled a little. Inside the park he noticed a trolley with seafood skewers. And one thing he noticed that he had…

"Shrimp!" He smiled, heading down the stairs in a hurry as he saw the stand near the clearing. As he hurried towards it, he heard a yelp and turned his head.

He saw a girl falling down the stairs. A girl with blue hair.

_"Geppou!"_ Coby lunged, grabbing the girl. He hovered for a moment, then dropped back down to earth. He felt the impact in his legs, but did not care.

He looked down at his charge. True enough, she did possess blue hair, along with white skin and hazel eyes wide with awe and surprise. She was wearing a bright yellow dress with a red stripe going down the middle.

"Oh…" She blushed, her face turning a shade of pink. "Um…Y-You're staring."

"Eh?" Asked Coby. "Oh!" He placed her down nicely. He noticed she was rather short, a good head and a half shorter than himself. "My bad about that. You okay miss?"

The girl nodded, covering her mouth with her hand as she looked away, her face tinged pink.

"Y-Yes. I-I just slipped…I should be the who sh-should say sorry…" Coby grinned and patted her head.

"No worries. Besides, that would have been quite the fall. If I can help someone in need I can't just ignore them now can I?" The small girl nodded reluctantly. "So, what's your name?"

"M-My name?" she stammered, twiddling her thumbs. "W-Well I mean I am n-not i-i-important like Mirajane or Erza or-"

"Eh? You know them?" Coby was a bit surprised, was she a guild member? "You friends with Erza and Mirajane?"

"E…Erza…" She squeaked. "M-My name is…" It came out as a whisper. The pink haired boy quirked an eye.

"I…couldn't catch that?" His question made the girl even more nervous.

"Levy Mac…" .

"Levy Mac?"

"Levy…." Replied the girl shyly. "MacGarden…" Coby smiled.

"Well Levy, the name's Coby. Coby Marinford." He held a hand out. "You a member of Fairy Tail?"

Levy nodded. "Y-Yes…I joined several months ago…I live in Fairy Hills…"

"The all-girls dorm?" The bluenette nodded at his response. "I live over in Timberwoods complex." He gave a shrug. "Been working for most of the day today."

"Oh…I-I see…Are you too t-tired?" The boy stretched his arms.

"Nah, just hungry. I'm about to get some late lunch slash early dinner." He looked down back at her. "You hungry too? You looked like you've been out all day."

She perked up, her hazel eyes wide and her face looking like a tomato. "E-Excuse me?"

"I was going to grab some seafood, and I was wondering if you want to eat with me." He titled his head to the side. "Unless you're a vegetarian or a vegan because if so I totally understand and-"

"N-No! I mean…Sure…" She smiled shyly, putting her hands behind her back. "I-I'd be happy to…" Coby grinned from ear to ear.

"Alrighty then! It's time I show you to the great joys of seafood Levy!" He took her by the hand began to walk back down the stairs. The girl blushed, feeling hot inside.

'_His hand…it's touching mine…so rough and calloused…_' She gripped tighter. The boy didn't seem to notice, being pre-occupied on the seafood trolley down in the park.

Levy continued to blush as he ordered and paid for two skewers of BBQ Shrimp Shishkabobs. The cooker winked and made some comments to which the bluenette couldn't hear but…

"Yeah, she's a new girlfriend I made."

As if lightning struck, Levy flinched, face crimson and solid as a statue.

'_W-w-w-w-what?! I-I-I am his…his…'_ She felt her palms become wet and she bit her tongue as she stood there petrified.

"Oh really now?"

Coby nodded at the trolley-man's reply. "Yeah. She and Erza and Mirajane, all girlfriends."

Then Levy flinched again.

'_He has a harem?!'_ The trolley-man asked a similar question.

"What's a harem?" he asked. The server shrugged and handed the pink haired boy his skewers. The boy got the both of them and said his thanks. Levy followed meekly behind as Coby headed for a convenient park bench.

"U-Um...Coby..." she asked. "W-What do you m-mean t-that I-I am your girlfriend?" Coby handed her the skewer as the two sat down, and dug in with gusto. His eyes moved towards the bluenette.

"Well," he said, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth. He swallowed his mouthful. "You're a friend of mine, and you're a girl right? So that makes you a girlfriend."

Levy felt as if a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders, and almost lost her balance. She regained her composure and sighed in relief.

"Oh, so I'm just a friend who's a girl then?" she asked, wanting to confirm it. Coby smiled and nodded, more of the flavored seafood in his mouth.

'_Well...despite him not knowing what a girlfriend is...I'm glad it came out to like this...'_ She thought to herself, feeling much better.

"So, what are you doing out of the Guild Hall anyway?" he asked.

"W-Well you see..." she stammered, eating lightly at her seafood. "I...um..."

"Errand?"

"Y-Yes!" She blushed a bit. "I had some errands to do..."

"Alright, I won't delve further." Coby finished off his skewer and with a well-aimed throw he nailed his stick in a trash can. "So, how did you join Fairy Tail? I haven't seen you around that much." The girl felt a bit comfortable now. With his reputation as a fighter, she had thought Coby would be intimidating and brash. But he was proving a rather kind individual.

Not to mention strong...and very cute...

"Well...it started back when-"

"Cool~!" The two jumped at the sound of an excited young teen. There in front of them was a teenage boy, older than Levy but younger than Coby. His blonde hair was spiked around the middle, and his eyes were shut. He wore a pink shirt and jeans, along with a backpack.

"I found two Fairy Tail mages, and one of them is the totally rad Coby Marinford! What luck! So Cool~!"

"You know me?" asked Coby with a quirked eyebrow. The boy nodded very vigorously, his eyes still shut.

"Who _doesn't_ know you! I mean, I've slaved day and night to get a chance to interview ya! I mean, you stopped a psycho-cool Ecoterrorist, saved a cool town from swamp monsters, and brought a curse to an end! That's just way too cool!"

The marine blinked, but it made sense considering that he DID do all those acts. Except perhaps the latter where it was just a hoax.

"So...who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Jason! My dad runs the _Sorcerer Weekly_ Magazine! I am totally going to work under him one day! Can I get an interview of you? It would be my first cool interview and it would help shape my career and would convince my dad to hire me or at least give me an internship!" He opened up his backpack and got out a notepad and pencil.

"Uh..." The pink haired boy scratched his head a little. "I suppose an interview can't hurt...I mean it is your first one..."

"COOL~!" howled Jason in glee. "Thank you so much! So, can we begin?"

"Ummm…I dunno?" Replied the boy awkwardly.

"No worries! I can start," said Jason. "So, how did you come to join Fairy Tail?"

"I joined over a month ago, around September. I saved several members from a crazy cult, and I was accepted in." Jason was writing hard and fast, nodding.

"Cool cool cool~! Who did you save and save them from?"

"I saved Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna Strauss, and I defeated some cult devoted to a 'Zeref' guy or something."

"You don't know who Zeref is?" Jason asked, one eye opened in confusion as he continued to jot down notes.

"Some evil wizard who died a long time ago." He got odd looks from not only Jason, but also from Levy sitting next to him. Coby thought fast.

"I…lived in the boonies before coming here."

"Oh? Where at?"

"Ummm…Fuchsia Village?" He replied with an awkward grin.

"Never heard of that town. Where is it located in Fiore?" Asked the blond.

"Ummm…" Coby bit his lip a little. He never thought interviews would be this…intrusive. He couldn't exactly tell them he was from another world. People would think he was crazy, or if they did believe would probably take him to some lab.

His memory took him back to Sillaville, when he was on the boat heading towards Charybdis Isle. He had seen a ship docked with the letter's 'Seven' on the side.

"Seven?" He made his answer. Maybe Seven is a country?

'_Note to self. When I get back to the Guild Hall, I'm hitting the books.'_

Jason nodded. "Ah yeah, so you're a foreigner huh? Fair enough." He scribbled more into his notepad and Coby sighed mentally.

'_Dodged a bullet…'_

"So, what type of cool magic do you have?" Jason's vigor returned, and the marine felt more at ease.

"Body Enhancement and…" He thought back to his 'episodes'. The way he managed to predict the attacks of the plants in Zakuro, the Murklurker's and their spikes of hatred in Pickerel, and fighting Pansy back in Charybdis.

"Precognition." _That_ made Jason giddy.

"COOL~! So you can like, see in the future or something?"

"Ummm…" He made another odd grin. "I guess? It did help me fight the bad guys after all."

"So cool~! "

"So you're a psychic of some kind?" asked Levy curiously.

"Ummm…Maybe?"

"Cool cool! Now, rumor has it that you have a thing for Mirajane Strauss? Do ya?" He asked.

"A thing?" asked Coby, quirking his head to the side.

"Yeah! I mean, you two have been together a ton of times! In Zakuro and Pickerel, and even here in Magnolia! And Laxus Dreyar too, the grandson of the Fairy Tail Master!"

"Well, she and I are friends. And I am her partner in a ways. As for Laxus he and I are best friends. In fact, he's one of the first friend's I made in the Guild," Coby had a relaxing grin. "We fought side by side back in Zakuro, which I'm sure you may know. And there's also the time he saved me and Mirajane up north in Sillaville."

Jason somehow managed to leap high into the air full of excitement, howlering "COOL!" at the top of his lungs before coming down to earth in front of a bewildered couple.

"Oh man this is gonna be so so cool! My fingers are just begging me to have them make sweet love to my type writer!" Coby and Levy looked at each other with quirked eyes.

"Should we leave?" she whispered into his ear.

"I…guess?"

"Wait wait! One more question!" Jason asked. "So, who is this young lady and why are you out here together on this autumn afternoon?"

"Oh," Coby felt a bit more at ease. "This is Levy MacGarden, a fellow Fairy Tail member. She tripped back at the stairs and I helped her up, and since we're new friends I decided to get her some food."

Jason's grin was just threatening to split his mouth in two. "COOL~! Thank you so much!" He bowed up and down several times, and shook Coby's hand vigorously. "Just know that you have a friend in Jason, your future-_Sorcerer Weekly_ journalist extraordinaire! I gotta fly now so laters!" And Jason started sprinting, or skipping, or some hybrid mix of the two.

"Well he's an energetic one," commented the pink-haired boy.

"Mm-hmm," nodded the bluenette. Coby looked down at Levy.

"Say Levy, the Guild has a library right?" The girl blinked and smiled.

"Y-Yeah! Why do you ask?"

"Well, if it isn't much trouble could you show me around the library if you can? I feel like reading for the rest of the day until I can take on a night job."

Levy seemed to brighten up, as if a flower that once wilted grew back to life. "Sure!" The two got up and walked side by side together out of the park.

The two were unaware of a bird watching them from the trees. And it took flight, the raven soaring through the rooftops of the canal town.

As it set down by a river on the outside of town, it seemed to burst into flames, the feathers immolating and it giving one last crow.

And where ashes would usually be, it was a paper doll with blue markings and one red rectangle as it floated in the wind, heading east opposite of the rising sun and into the darkness of the coming night.

* * *

**And there ya go! This is probably the fastest I've ever updated, so I'll see if I can continue this momentum till Christmas or so.**

**So yeah, we see a young Jason and Levy and Coby stuff. And who ever doesn't know about the last bit of the chapter should shoot themselves in the head for not knowing who I am alluding too.**

**I promise you this much: 2 more chapters then we'll start with the Trials arc! To tell ya the truth, whenever I'm starting an arc I feel more excited, whereas I am at the end I kinda stagger out unless it's a canon event or huge super duper duel.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K.**


	21. Chapter 21

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

_Magnolia, One Month later_

"Ninety eight…Ninety nine…one hundred!" A large log leapt into the air. Coby dodged out of the way with a Soru as it fell.

It was the beginning of December, and after a full of month of light work-outs coupled with an odd job and a heavy work-out (usually spotted by Laxus if he was around), Coby was back to his normal regimen of training. He even tested out his Geppou, his most draining technique, and found out he could use more of it before his legs give out.

He recalled what Garp had told him, that the Rokushiki was a Martial Art in which to gain strength and evolve, limits had to be broken. Coby remembered how he had done just that several months ago; back in Zakuro, Pickeral, and Charybdis. Thanks to those experiences, along with the light work-outs and the odd jobs, he felt lighter on his feet and capable of using more of the techniques than before. He still has a ways to go to learn the Tekkai without a teacher as well as master the Geppou, but he will manage.

He was out in the clearing behind the Fairy Tail guild hall, the ground in a terrible state due to his Soru. The trees were riddled with holes from his Shigan, and his Rankyaku kicks had downed some of them completely. Rocks lay split and gashed all around.

Coby laid down on the ground, drawing soothing oxygen into his lungs as he dumped the remaining contents of his water bottle on his overheating head. He smiled as he felt his body relax, his aching muscles settling. He was content, in a way he had not been for some time. He felt himself beginning to doze off, and then wakefulness returned as the temperature around him dropped suddenly. He opened one eye, half-curious and half-irritated, and saw the cause of it.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," replied Mirajane, one hand on her hip. She offered the other hand, and Coby pulled himself up. After muttering his thanks, he noticed Mirajane looking around the clearing.

"Been busy?"

"You think?"

Her arms were crossed, ignoring his light sarcasm as he began to walk towards the Guild.

"Anyways, you look bushed. You gonna have Gray set up an ice bath for you?"

"Maybe, but I'll be fine."

The two shared an awkward silence as they walked onto a side street towards the main boulevard where the Guild was situated.

"So..." He rubbed the back of his head. "How have you been Mira?"

"Fine, except for this." The goth picked up a magazine from the mailbox and showed it to Coby. Coby took it, and read it aloud.

"Special Column by amateur reporter: Interview with newest mage Coby Marinford?" Coby's eye quirked. "What's wrong with this?"

"Read it." She said, as if she knew what it entailed. The marine did so, reading the column.

"It was just me being interviewed. What about it?" Mirajane narrowed her eyes and pointed at the text in the column, to which he read.

_"This is Levy MacGarden, a fellow Fairy Tail member. She tripped back at the stairs and I helped her up, and since we're new friends I decided to get her some food."_ He looked back up at her. "What about Levy?"

"You made it sound like you were her boyfriend or something!" growled Mirajane. When she had read the magazine this morning, she had nearly dropped her coffee mug. How could Coby go out with someone behind her back!? Weren't they partners!?

"Well, I'm a boy right. And she's my friend. So you could say I'm her boyfriend. I am your boyfriend too."

Silence fell. Mirajane's eyebrow twitched. Was he really so dense? Was he so utterly ignorant of the opposite sex as he sounded?

"In that case…" she asked. "How do you see Laxus?"

"My best friend."

"Erza?"

"I suppose she could be a girlfriend."

"Elfman?"

"Possibly a boyfriend."

Mirajane was within an ace of smashing his head up against a brick wall, followed by her own.

"Lisanna?" She regretted the question instantly, and cut him off before he could reply. "Don't even finish that." She grabbed the bridge of her nose and sighed loudly.

"Let's just go inside and see if there's anything to do…" she said, sighing at the stupidity of it all.

"Okay!" Coby grinned and opened the door for her.

The scene before them was relatively calm for once. There was no shouting, no rough- housing, no brawls, no…Fairy Tail-ness. There weren't even that many people either. Coby spotted Laxus sitting at the bar and sat on next to him, Mirajane doing likewise.

"Yo."

"Morning." Coby stretched his arms out.

"You know, there's a special announcement going on a week from tonight," said Laxus as he took a sip from his mug. The marine quirked an eye at him.

"Eh? An announcement? What for?" Mirajane sighed and bopped him upside the head.

"Are you kidding me Coby?" asked the girl incredulously. "What we've been training for all this time!"

The marine snapped his fingers as he remembered.

"The S-Class Trials!" Laxus nodded.

"Yep. The announcing of the candidates is next week." He looked back at the guild. "Hence why you see so little people. No Erza, no Gray, no Natsu. They're all out on jobs at the last minute in order to impress Gramps." Coby turned around, seeing the…vacancy of the Guild at large.

"Wow…I guess you're right." He turned back up towards the taller blond. "Is Makarov off doing something about the trials?"

"Yeah, he's busy right now. Dunno what. I got a job to do an hour so I don't really pay attention to such stuff."

Coby nodded and a sip from his drink. "I see then…" He looked at the clock and perked up. "Oh, I have to turn in my rent to the landlady!" He got up and jogged towards the door.

"Be sure you be back here by six tonight alright!" called out Laxus. Mirajane looked back at Coby with a curious glance then turned to her drink.

"Got it! Later!" And Coby shut the large door and ran down the street towards his apartment complex.

He did not see the raven watching him from a nearby tree, nor hear it take flight and follow him.

-X-

_One Hour Later_

Coby was in a particularly foul mood as he walked out of his apartment.

"Stupid landlady..." he muttered as he put his hands in his pockets and walked along the ledge of the canal. Apparently even though he paid the whole rent of the month he was still a smidgen behind. The old woman egged him for it, calling him "irresponsible" and such. He offered to do some chores for her but she declined, saying he wasn't going to shirk out of his debt so easily. Being tight on money, again, he would have to ask Laxus or Gildarts to treat him to dinner, _again_.

Living on the fringe, with only the pay from a few light jobs, wasn't working.

Something in the corner of his eye drew his attention. He glanced down an alley, and saw a gathering of people walking slowly along the opposite street. They were dressed in black, and clustered around what looked like a horse-drawn carriage. Curious, Coby jogged down the alley to get a closer look.

The carriage was a hearse. Coby stood where he had halted, stunned by the revelation, as the solemn cortege passed him. On the side of the hearse, in gold plate, were the words: _Cariniea Theradyr_. He heard weeping among the mourners.

Saddened, Coby lowered his head. Then as the end of the cortege reached him he fell in behind, following the mass of people. He didn't know why he was doing it, but it didn't matter for the moment. He had until six.

-X-

"Thank you young lady!" proclaimed the plump bookkeeper. Levy bowed, holding the large book in her hands.

"Thank you miss!" Levy MacGarden beamed as she skipped out of the bookstore. Her recent job in looking after the bookstore was working wonderfully, and the owner was gracious enough to not only give her a small purse of Jewels, but also giving one book for free. The bluenette loved books, so it felt like the holidays came early.

Speaking of the holidays, it was just around the corner and she needed to think of gifts in good time. She would need to ask some of the girls at the Fairy Hills dorm.

"I still gotta take Coby to the archives!" she thought as she skipped along, using an alley as a short cut. "He did say he wanted to see the geography and history books!" She smiled, making a mental note to ask him on it.

Since their meeting the previous month, Levy had come out of her shell somewhat, as Erza had put it. It was all thanks to meeting Coby Marinford that she was able to blossom as she was…

And then she was exhausted, as if all her energy had drained out like water. She felt her eyes grow heavy, and she slumped to her knees in the alley.

On a nearby roof, invisible from the street below, a small brown creature poked its head out. On its head was crown of sorts, made of leaves and a small cape. The creature giggled and scurried away.

-X-

Coby didn't hear anything, aside from occasional weeping and muttering. He just felt…depressed for some reason.

As he saw the happy scenes around him, the families doing their shopping, the cheery signs and jolly scenes, he realised why. It was not the funeral procession that was upsetting him, not _really, _but the knowledge that this would be his first holidays without a family.

He could not return home. Not now, and probably not ever.

The cortege entered the graveyard. Coby followed until they reached the open grave, watching as the coffin was lifted reverently from the hearse. All eyes were on the coffin as it was lowered into the grave. If the mourners were aware of his presence, they did not acknowledge it. Coby stood there, watching the proceedings. Seconds became minutes, minutes became an hour.

And it was done.

The mourners knelt in silence, eyes closed, as a slab of clean, polished marble was laid over the freshly-filled grave. Coby's eyes were drawn to it, and to the small puddle of water just next to it, left over from a shower of rain earlier in the day.

He blinked, wondering if his eyesight was getting worse. He blinked again, adjusted his glasses, but to no avail. Though there were mourners all around him, only his face was reflected in the water.

Then he felt it. A twinge…barely a flicker, a spark of awareness that seemed to vanish even faster than it appeared.

That same feeling…

"Funerals…quite sad don't you think?" said a man's voice. Coby saw him in the puddle, about three meters away.

Now he was confused. Was he losing his mind? Had the whole gathering been just a figment of his imagination? Had that feeling, that need to follow…? What was going on?

"The departure of a loved one, whether they be family or friend, always tears a void within one's heart." The man walked forward. Coby could see him clearly in the water; his hawk-like nose, the black glasses that concealed his eyes, the short dark beard. He was tall and broad-shouldered, clad in a dark suit.

"Yet, for some, a funeral can be seen as…relief, a gift to some."

The man smiled a little. The sky was darkening, and Coby felt the wind chill him to the bone.

"What are you talking about?"

"A person can leave their loved ones gifts and wealth, maybe power as well. A death of a person can relieve them of an emotional burden. A cripple, a dependant, one who needed constant attention and meaningless care. Or perhaps that person was simply…an annoyance that won't be remembered any time soon."

The man shook his head, chuckling. He gestured towards the grave, and a slightly intimidated Coby looked.

The grave no longer said _Cariniea Theradyr_, it now read _Catherine Kilgore Dreyar._

Dreyar…

Coby drew a sharp breath, his blood turning to ice.

_My son, was a danger to the guild…_

The man removed his glasses, revealing black eyes that had an amused but wild look in them. He smirked.

"Ivan…Dreyar…" muttered Coby, as the man was staring right back at his reflection in the puddle, smiling with all the malice in the world.

"Hmm, well then, ole Makarov must have filled you in about me then. Yes, I am Ivan Dreyar, in the flesh."

Coby wanted to spring up, to confront him, or else run for his life. He couldn't possibly fight Ivan Dreyar, who was Laxus' father _and _Makarov's son. His martial arts would serve him little against the son of Makarov.

But by the same token, running wasn't an option either.

Coby knelt where he was, shaking with fear he had not felt since he faced Blackbeard.

No, this was far worse. Blackbeard was random, unpredictable, but his power was well-known. A Shichibukai and a powerful pirate, he could trounce the third strongest crew member of Whitebeard's camp.

All he had on Ivan Drevar was his name, and the power of his father and son. Nothing else. The power was great, and he was exiled for something cruel, and now Coby had a feeling that the action transcended normal malice.

Could Ivan be here to kill him…just because he made friends with his son? Could he be that heartless?

"Why so afraid Coby my dear?" oiled the man. He grabbed Coby's right shoulder and hauled him to his feet. "When men are talking, it is customary that they talk face to face."

"What do you want…" muttered Coby as he felt his feet leave the ground, Ivan's grip tightening on his shoulder. "I didn't do anything wrong…"

"Oh no no no no!" Ivan shook his head as if he were talking to young child, a smile forming on his face. "Of course not my dear Coby, I am just here to have a little chat with you is all." Coby bit his lower lip as he felt his heart pound.

"First off" said the man, looking away in thought. " I'm here to tell you that I am…_intrigued_ by dear Laxus' growth so far. And rumor has it that you are his newest friend, yes?"

Coby couldn't reply. His shivering was growing worse.

"Answer when a man of greater power is talking to you, _boy_…" Ivan growled. The pink-haired boy nodded fast. The man smiled.

"Good. You see, I have an _investment_ in my dear son that I cannot have…compromised in any shape or form in the near future. You've been traveling together with dear Laxus, so I wanted to get the message clear to you."

"About what?" whispered Coby. He felt pain in his shoulder, seeming to rise with his fear.

"Make sure nothing bad happens to my good son." Ivan smirked. "Other than that, this is my belated greetings for you joining Fairy Tail and bonding with my dear Laxus. I am his father after all. It's only natural. And…if anything bad were to happen my investment…"

He brought the boy in close, and Coby felt his breath on his ear.

"Let's just say that …" Ivan grinned, teeth bared. "You would rather prefer death's embrace then what I have planned, _specifically_ for you._"_

For an instant Coby felt himself falling, and then he was flying across the graveyard. He yelped in pain as he slammed into a tree, the wood splintering under him. He slumped to the ground, his head swimming. He saw Ivan standing there, his hand stretched out towards him.

"Also, my dear Coby," oiled Ivan as a small twister formed around him, and his feet began to turn to paper dolls. "Give Makarov my regards. Oh, and tell Gil…"

He grinned as the paper dolls formed a whistling cyclone around him, and his face began to disappear.

"…I said hello."

Darkness

-X-

He could hear them.

Coby could hear voices muttering all around him. His eyes fluttered open, only to squeeze shut against the blinding light.

"Coby! Are you alright?" asked one of the voices. Coby turned his head, easing his eyes open. He was on a couch, with a quilt over him. He looked the other way, and made out a group of figures standing nearby.

His vision cleared, and he could see them. Makarov, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, even Erza.

"What are you guys…doing here?" groaned Coby as he sat up.

"You're in my house Coby," answered Makarov as he looked up at Coby. "And for the record, I should ask you what were YOU doing out at the graveyard?"

"Yeah!" added Lisanna, stepping up to Coby's side. "It was getting super late and Natsu was very very antsy, so he went out after sniffing your chair and-"

"He _what_!?" they all exclaimed. Lisanna nodded.

"Yep. Snuffed the place where Coby sat to get his scent."

Coby looked as bewildered as he felt. He glanced at Mirajane, who appeared to feel the same way.

"But were it not for Natsu," said Erza, "he wouldn't have found you and Levy and brought you back to Master."

"Wait, did you say Levy?!" Coby bolted up, eyes wide with fear. "Where is she? Is she okay?" The dwarf held out a hand to steady him. The hand expanded, growing so large that the sight of it was enough to subdue him. Mirajane looked away, face sour.

"Easy Coby, she's at a friend's house now . She was unconscious, but unlike you it was from odd circumstance."

"Yeah." Elfman commented. "She said something about 'Magic Exhaustion' or something." Erza cupped her chin in thought.

"But Levy wouldn't exhaust all of her magic power on the spot," she mused. "It was in an alley way, not necessarily a good place to practice your spells."

"So she's okay?" asked Coby, looking at Makarov. The old master smiled and nodded.

"Yes. There's no need to worry. While my friend is a bit…" he glanced sideways, "anti-social…she's a fine doctor. Levy will be up and about in a few days, good as new!"

Erza nodded. "Mm-hmm. All she needs is rest."

Coby let loose a sigh. It would have been terrible if something had happened to Levy. But Makarov trusted the doctor, and he trusted Makarov.

"I have to thank Natsu and this doctor when I can then," he said, rubbing his head.

"Speaking of, Natsu said he wants to fight you too, but feels that fighting you now would be too unfair so he's out with Happy." Lisanna crossed her arms and puffed her lips. "He should be here, silly nilly."

"Figures." Mirajane rolled her eyes.

"Besides what Natsu is doing," said Makarov as he looked at Coby. "What were you doing out at the cemetery? It was freezing and you were unconscious!"

"Yeah…" Coby looked out the window next to the coach, seeing the rain fall in the night sky. "The cemetery…"

Lightning crackled outside. For an instant, Coby saw the face of a bearded man, lip stiffened high as he smiled down on him. He screamed as the thunder boomed, jumping from the couch and hitting the floor with a crash.

"Don't scare me like that!" Mirajane barked. "Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Are you scared of lightning?" asked Elfman.

"Coby!" Lisanna ran to Coby's side. "Are you okay?"

The boy stared at the window, eyes wide, mouth opening and closing in silent stammering. The window was empty, but for the pelting rain.

"H-He was here…" Coby grabbed his head, looking down at his legs. Makarov leaned forward, concern etching his face.

"He was here? Who Coby?"

Coby looked up at him, his face a mask of terror and despair. He gestured at the dwarf to lean closer.

"_Ivan_," he whispered.

The thunder roared, and the lightning flashed. For that single moment, Coby saw Makarov's mouth form a slight 'o'. The room was silent. Coby felt something in his pocket, which he was sure had been empty a moment ago. It was thin, and made of paper. He pulled it out and held it up.

It was a paper Shikigami doll.

For an instant, Makarov actually looked shocked. His face returned to normal, then twisted into the darkest, most terrible glare Coby had ever seen upon it. The dwarf's eyes blazed like twin stars, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Erza, Mira…" he said quietly. "Could you please give me and Coby some privacy?"

Mirajane wasn't going to back down. She wanted to know what her partner had said.

"But-"

If looks could conjure weapons to kill, Mirajane would have been nailed to the wall by Makarov's stare as he turned his eyes and growled "_Now…"_

The thunder roared, as if summoned by his fury. Lightning flashed through the room, casting his face in dire relief.

"Got it." said Mirajane, her courage spent. She left the room, dragging Lisanna and Elfman behind her. Erza made to follow, but she stopped and gave Coby one last look before following her fellow magi.

Coby then felt himself being tugged. Makarov walked up the stairs, Coby forced to follow, leading him to his bedroom.

"Are you sure?" the dwarf said, staring hard at Coby as he closed the door. He was no longer the kind, goofy old man Coby knew. He saw a terrible rage behind his master's eyes, held in place by an iron will. He nodded.

"What did he look like?"

"Tall, broad shoulders, black hair and eyes, hawk-like nose, and a beard…" Coby sounded off.

"What did he do? Do you remember anything?" Coby looked down, remembering the incident.

"I was out on a walk…and I felt compelled to join a funeral procession to the graveyard. But when I got there…all the people disappeared. When he appeared… I was only afraid for a moment…but I got so frightened it almost seemed…unnatural."

Makarov growled and looked away.

"Illusion Magic…and Compulsion Magic. He's not let up I see." He looked back to Coby. "Did he do anything else?"

Makarov was confused. His son was exiled only ten years ago, yet Ivan was walking around in the open without care. He had obviously been using his Illusion Magic to fool townspeople and mages alike.

He was also furious. He was furious with Ivan for harming Coby, who was like a son to him as all of the members of the guild. More than that, he was furious with _himself _for letting Ivan walk into Magnolia undetected. He had installed detection and alarm wards himself, with the help of his old friend Yajima, a specialist in Ward _and _Flattening Magic. He was a member of the Magic Council, a mage beyond compare.

Yet Ivan had found a way. Ivan had entered Magnolia without anyone noticing until it was too late. Ivan had hurt Coby, and almost certainly Levy too. He felt sick at the thought of the damage Ivan could have wrought, and might be wreaking at that very moment. Just like when he had been expelled from the Guild…

He halted his train of thought. He didn't need to be tormented by those memories, not now.

"Only…roughed me up a little…" The pink haired boy nursed his shoulder. "He just threw me and my head hit a tree. Nothing big, I've had worse." Makarov growled.

"Regardless of the physical damage," he growled. "Are you sure he didn't do anything else?"

Makarov, gazing into Coby's brown eyes with his own, demanding answers. Anger boiled within him. Ivan had harmed one of his Guild, one of his children. He kept on staring, trying to find an answer from within.

"Yeah…he did say something…"

"What did he say?"

"He said…to give you his regards and to say hello…" Coby looked at him straight in the eye this time. "To Gil…is it Gildarts?"

Makarov breathed out his nose angrily and snatched the shikigami out of Coby's hand and stared down at it, hoping to burn it with by his glare.

'_So that's why you went to all the trouble…'_ Makarov seethed mentally.

It clicked. It was never Ivan's intention to kill one of Fairy Tail's own. It was too easy, too _simple. _He wanted lasting damage, but to also send a message.

He could come and go into Magnolia as he pleased. He could harm or kill any member of Fairy Tail, and be gone before anyone could possibly intervene. He could kill in the guise of a Fairy Tail member, and let the guild take the rap.

That was his message. It was a show of power towards the father from the son.

Makarov looked out of the window, and into the dark sky of Magnolia as the rain fell. He saw Ivan's reflection there.

"_No matter what you do my dear father_," the face said, grinning. "_I can kill your 'family' any time I please. I bested you in your attempt to protect the town. What you thought was your haven, your sanctuary, is now your deadly wilderness, bare naked. And I had mercy, just so you can torment yourself knowing that I am clearly your better. What will happen if I drop by again? Will the axe be dropped or be stayed? _I_ have that power. Live with that_," He bared his teeth into a grin. "_Dear ole _Dad."

But for his self-control, Makarov would have punched the reflection with a giant sized fist. He turned away, and back to Coby.

"Was that all?" he asked.

Coby nodded. "Yeah…he threw me against a tree, disappeared into a bunch of those paper dolls and I passed out…"

The sinking feeling in Makarov's stomach grew worse. It wasn't Ivan himself, it was merely a _clone_. Ivan could have been nearby to disable the wards, and have the clone sent in. Or be with Coby the entire time as Coby spoke with the clone?

The scenarios ran though his mind, all of them leading back to the same terrible thought. Ivan could have twisted Coby's neck like a screw, whether in or out of illusion, clone or no clone. He could have done even worse things to Levy as well.

'_This means war, Ivan,_' thought Makarov darkly.

"I see then…" Makarov closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Listen, Coby." He opened his eyes and looked at the boy. "How about you stay here with Laxus and I for a while. It would be for your protection."

Coby opened his mouth to decline, not wanting to be in more debt…but he saw the master's point. Ivan could easily infiltrate his apartment.

"S-Sure. Will I still be able to help Mirajane?" he asked. Makarov nodded.

"Of course. Listen to me though." Makarov stared directly into Coby's eyes. "Laxus must not know of what happened."

Coby was confused for a moment, then understood. "R-Right…"

"And don't tell Gildarts either."

"Why? How do Ivan and Gildarts know each other?"

"Let's just say…" Makarov glared to the side, "that those two have history. But Laxus _cannot_ know what happened today. Understood?" Coby nodded.

"Even if he asks, deny it. Deny everything. I'll take this up with the council. Ivan is an exiled Fairy Tail member, so this must be brought forth. I have a good friend with some sway on the Council, and we can make some stronger wards around the town. I won't let this happen again." Makarov leaned against the coffee table. Coby nodded and stood up, staring out the window.

"Say…Master? Who was Cathy Dreyar?"

Coby jumped as he heard the sound of wood breaking. He turned, and saw Makarov's grip destroying the coffee table, his face a mask of rage. He breathed deeply, and Coby saw his self-control re-assert itself. Makarov freed the table from his grip, and looked sadly at Coby.

"You noticed her maiden name was Kilgore right?"

"So then-"

"Catherine Dreyar was Ivan's wife, my daughter-in-law, and Laxus' mother," said Makarov sullenly.

"I won't ask how she died," replied Coby. Now was probably not a good time to pry into Makarov's past.

Ivan's monologue, the one about how people remembered their loved ones, wandered unwelcome into his mind.

"I think…we should all get some sleep." Makarov sighed. "It's been a rough day…"

"Yeah…" Coby sat up from the bed and followed the dwarf down the hall. "Hey Master?"

"Yes?" Makarov turned, only to be near tackled from a hug, the taller boy on his knees hugging the dwarf.

"Thank you…" Coby burrowed his face into Makarov's small shoulder. Makarov offered no resistance and returned the embrace, much how a father would do a with a relieved child.

"Everyone in Fairy Tail is my family, and you are my son," he said, as Coby squeezed tighter. "I would never abandon you."

"I…" Makarov heard him stammer. "I miss my parents…and this is my first holidays and I almost died and…and!"

Makarov patted his head.

"It's okay. We will be with you, every step of the way."

"That's right!" Coby and Makarov perked up and looked down the hall. The whole gang was standing by the stairs, Erza in front, all smiles. Makarov sighed.

"I thought I told you to stay downstairs."

"We heard you guys in the hallway," said Mirajane grinning. "And my ears were sharp enough to pick up on that."

Lisanna ran up and joined in on the hug. "We can spend the holidays together! You don't need to be alone!"

"Yeah." Added Elfman. "The holidays can be pretty lonely if you only celebrate yourself."

"That's right." added Erza, smiling warmly at the stunned Coby. "We're all friends and family to one another. If one of us falls, we help each other up, and keep them smiling."

Coby didn't know what to say. He felt a lump forming in his throat, tears stinging his eyes, and joy overflowing his heart.

"What's going on here?" added Laxus from behind the kids, his head poking out the stairway, dripping wet thanks to the rain. "I come back from a job and it's a friggin' party in here." He grinned as he saw Coby, and nodded at him. "Yo. Coby."

"Alright you brats!" Before Coby could let loose the water works and so much as mutter Laxus' name, Makarov's arms expanded, growing big enough to draw them all in. "Group hug!" The former sullen and angry Master now a happy grinning-like-a-fool dwarf.

"Whoa! Gramps! Personal space!"

"Gah! Jeez Erza your armor is killing me!"

"What perfume do you use! It's smelly!"

"My perfume is top brand! Take that back Brunhilda!"

"Or more like your _lack_ of fragance you demonic ogre!"

"Sis! Erza! Quit fighting!"

"I can't breathe…"

Coby was flabbergasted. The memory of the cemetery vanished like smoke on the wind as he laughed. He cried tears of joy, and smiled with his Guild mates. His comrades.

His family.

-X-

_**Index of Magic:**_

_**Magic: **__Compulsion Magic__**.**_

_This magic is capable of manipulating the emotion of a person to a hightened degree. If the target feels a tiny bit sad, the target becomes depressed. If the target feels good, the target is influenced as if he/she won the lottery. If the target feels irritated, he/she becomes outright violent. Because of the chaos a magic like this can cause, it is considered banned in countries with a ruling Magic Council such as Fiore and Caelum as well as in countries affiliated to the Greengate Federation. In countries like Basco and those under the banner of the Duchy of Lacui, it is not outlawed._

**FUCKING FINALLY I FINISHED**

**I apologize for the lack of update. You see, when the holidays come, there's this thing called "living with parents", or "no PC lab for my undivided attention" and "said parents pressuring me to get a social life/girlfriend when it is actually okay so far with my friends and I don't need a GF(yet)".**

**Also there's finishing up Dragons Dogma, Next Game+, Halo 4, it's multiplayer, Mass Effect 3 and it's multiplayer…**

**And general laziness.**

**I did promise the Trials would start, but I had to add this in: Ivan will be important down the road and I hoped I characterized him as best as I could. What happened to him during the Magic Games arc was a blunder of epic proportions and he deserves better, otherwise: he gets the title for most anti-climatic villain in shounen. And he will not be titled that in this story.**

**Next chapter should be when the Trials have selected their candidates, and we get some drama going.**

**Also, Index of Magic will be brought forth whenever a new magic comes into play during CMM. I didn't do Feelers because it was mentioned in Pansy's bio and you saw his 4th Feeler ability first hand.**

**Leave your thoughts, Girls poll is still up, and I hoped you enjoyed.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-k, Captain Fallout and Murazor. I know, it's a lot but I want the best product for you :V.**


	22. Chapter 22

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

_Magnolia, one week later_

Today was the day. The day that many within Fairy Tail dreaded, hoped, and dreamed. The day of announcing the candidates to take part in the S-Class Mage Promotion Trial.

Despite this, Coby didn't feel anxious. He felt at peace as he did some cleaning up within the Dreyar Mansion, focusing on cleaning the kitchen table.

Over the course of the week Makarov made it known he wanted to make Coby forget about his run-in with Ivan. To this end, Coby had spent much of his spare time out doing activties with Laxus and with some of the guild members. On the Saturday after Ivan appeared, Makarov had held the monthly drinking contest in the guild hall; the prize was a seven thousand-five hundred Jewel purse, and their picture placed on a wall next to the bar. Despite pleading, Coby entered against Macao, Cana, and Natsu of all people. Apparently Natsu hadn't wanted to lose to him.

He had been surprised to make it to third; Natsu was out like a light after five shots. Coby couldn't remember much after his eleventh, but according to Laxus he had passed out at fifteen, leaving the contest to Macao and Cana. Macao succumbed after twenty, with Cana carrying out like nothing had happened. Coby wasn't surprised, since Cana drank rum and beer out of the barrel.

Sunday was for recuperation; his reward for participating being a head that felt like Blackbeard was living in it. He spent the day being ribbed by Mirajane for being a lightweight, while Laxus brought him some training weights to take his mind off it. Makarov offered a remedy, but Coby was in no mood for a prairie oyster. He had taken another delivery for Daphne once his hangover had receded, earning six thousand Jewels, then took it easy at the Dreyar estate for the rest of the day.

Monday had been another job rush at the guild; its members clamouring for jobs in the hope of making the trials. Mirajane and Erza had challenged one-another to take down their monsters the fastest; a giant Vulcan and a giant spider respectively. Coby had stayed at the guild, socializing with Lisanna and Levy. In the end the contest was a photo finish (courtesy of Elfman), Erza winning by reaching her arm past the door. Mirajane had been less than pleased to see Coby with Levy _and _Lisanna, the latter hugging his arm.

As he finished cleaning the table, Coby rubbed his head where Mirajane's perfectly-aimed mug had glanced it. Were it not for his precognition and battle-honed reflexes, it would have been a direct hit.

Tuesday had been a training day. At first Coby had wanted to train with Laxus, but the secret Thunder Dragon Slayer was absent that day, supposedly out with Makarov. Coby had then asked Mirajane to be his partner, only for Erza to step in and offer her services, provoking yet another brawl. Fortunately Natsu, accompanied by Happy, had stepped up to challenge him.

Coby had never felt so…restrained in a fight before. Granted, he wasn't surprised when Natsu used fire; he saw Laxus use lightning with ease, and had witnessed Mirajane harnessing the powers of darkness, lightning, and water. He had mainly used Soru during the fight, delivering some light hits so as not to hurt the boy too badly. Natsu had taken offence and prepared a 'Metsuryu Ougi.' He had promptly collapsed, apparently due to a lack of Magic, and Coby had lugged him back to the guild to be tended by Lisanna and Happy. He had recovered quickly, but Coby had not been satisfied. He had thought of asking Mirajane, but feared Erza would interrupt again, and spark off yet another brawl.

Wednesday was another job-rush day, and Coby had seen a pattern. One day was for cramming on jobs, the other was a rest period, and so on. Coby was finally able to fulfil his promise to Levy about heading to the library, much to her joy. After a day spent poring over the various general history books and geography tomes, Coby felt thoroughly educated.

Fiore was a small kingdom on a peninsula located in what appeared to be the Pergrande Continent, and was one of the few neutral nations in all of Earthland. There were several other major superpowers in the world, the closest being the Pergrande Kingdom, for which the Continent was named. North of Pergrande was the heavily-forested'Greenland', spreading over a third of the continent, comprising a variety of nations. In the centre was an island nation in the centre of the Green Mirror Lake. It's capital was Greengate, and had given its name to the Greengate Federation of which it was the head.

To the west over a vast ocean was the continent of Roja, raised high on a plateau which spanned the entire land mass. It reminded Coby of the Holy Land Mariejois, the Capital of the World Government and home to the World Nobles. Roja's climate was arid and cold, so cold that every winter it was connected to Greenland by a bridge of ice. The nations of Roja were part of an alliance, some said an empire, led by the Duchy of Lacui. Lacui was located in a distant, volcano-riddled corner of Roja. Coby had wondered what sort of people such a land might breed.

The history books yielded yet more. Many centuries ago there had been a terrible war, known forever afterward as the 'X War'. So terrible, in fact, that the era and calendar had been renamed in its memory. The war had been fought between Pergrande and the so-called 'Wild Land's, ending in a Pergrande victory. The Wild Lands had, over two hundred years, become civilized and later known as Greenland. The day of the signing of the Peace Treaty between Pergrande, of which Fiore had then been part, and the more reasonable tribes was January 1st of what became known as the year X000.

An era of peace had followed, bringing with it revolutions in scientific and philosophical understanding. But in X240 the dragons had appeared, ravaging the Pergrande Kingdom and declaring themselves kings of the world. The dragons were at first uninterested in Greenland and Lacui, fighting a distant war of their own. The conflict lasted until X396, when the dragons were finally forced out of Pergrande and vanished into legend. The period in which the Dragons fought against Pergrande and Lacui and Greenland did battle was known as the 'First Earth War'.

Coby made a mental note to ask Natsu about Dragons. Laxus was a pseudo-Dragon Slayer, using lacrima to power his Dragon Slayer Magic. But from what Laxus told him, Natsu was the bonafide real deal. He was disappointed that this world, for all of its potential and magic, had not come together. Perhaps they hadn't learned their lessons. The founding fathers of the World Government had, and created the said organization of one hundred seventy plus countries.

In any case peace had been short-lived in Pergrande. The end of the dragon war had brought forth an age of chaos. A mysterious character, known as the Black Mage, had summoned demons to ravage the countryside and cause misery everywhere. He was also called Zeref, a name that reminded Coby of when he had first arrived in Earthland. Those cultists he had fought had been worshippers of Zeref. His dark age had come to an end in X403, when he was slain by the master of a Guild. Coby could find no information on the master, or even on the guild, beyond that it was located in Fiore. He supposed it was to protect the said guild from retaliation by Zeref cultists.

From X403 onward, the Pergrande Continent had gone through the so-called Revival Era, as the Pergrande Kingdom regained its former glory. However, the smaller nations managed to retain their independence, with trade agreements and guilds forming across the continent. The Magic Councils were formed in turn, to regulate the guilds and keep them on the straight and narrow. This role brought them into close contact with the national governments, and Fiore's nobility had close ties to the Fiore Magic Council located in Era, to the northwest. Between them they had kept the peace ever since.

There had been no such peace for Lacui and Greengate. They had fought the 'Second Earth War' from X430 onward, lasting almost a hundred years. Both looked to Pergrande for help, and the nations of Pergrande answered. Basco, Iceberg, Sin, Enca, and Midi had sided with Lacui, while Pergrande, Bellum, Desierto, Joya, Stella, Seven, Minstrel, Caelum, and Fiore had favoured Greengate. The war finally ended with the Treaty of Ivaldheim on June 6th X522, with no clear victor. Pergrande was the ultimate beneficiary, forcing ruinous reparation payments on Lacui's allies. The tiny nation of Enca had been wealthy enough to pay, but Sin and Basco had still not recovered. Coby suspected that this was why they were so lax on crime, including the slave trade they had adopted from Lacui.

By X540, the Dark Guilds were running rampant, mainly out of Basco and Sin, and the Magic Councils of individual nations created their own paramilitary army to counter these threats. They would be named differently in various nations, but Fiore's anti-Dark Guild army was called the Rune Knights. Coby surmised that this was the beginning of this world's Pirate Age, as many Guilds turned rogue in order to gain power and easy money, mainly through illegal activities.

Fiore also suffered greatly, despite being allied with the Greengate Federation. Invasions by Lacui and Iceberg to the north, as well as raids by Basco to the east, had left its economy and society in ruins. A revolution was barely averted with the sighing of the Pact of Peace by Fiore's King and Magic Council, opting for isolation and only partaking in foreign affairs regarding guild business. The Pergrande Kingdom would later create an event in which all guilds around Pergrande can compete in individual games. This was known as the Magic Olympics, held mainly in the Pergrande Kingdom and changing to different countries every twenty years. The first annual Magic Olympics were held in the Pergrande Kingdom's capital, Largai on July 1st X556. The idea of the Magic Olympics originally came way before X500, some time during the Dragon Wars as well as the Dark Times of Zeref, but not much information is known in the Archive texts.

The Greengate Federation and the Duchy of Lacui have not had a large war since the signing of the Treaty of Ivaldheim. Lacui seemed to ignore Pergrande, whereas the Greengate Federation had minimal contact and trade.

In X650 a war between Fairy Tail in it's infancy and numerous Dark Guilds, employed by the rogue small nation of Veronica tore western Fiore apart, making the Magic Council put forth the Guild Demilitarization Act, by which Guilds were no longer to act as paramilitary armies. Wars between guilds, even Dark Guilds, were discouraged. Apparently, when Coby asked Levy, she said that First Master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion, was the one who fought for Fairy Tail's sake. He remembered the conversation...

_Hey Levy?"_

_"Yeah Coby?" Asked the bluenette as she sipped some juice from her mug as Coby's eyes were glued to the massive text before him._

_"I was wondering, who was Mavis Vermillion? The book says she was the First Master of Fairy Tail. That right?"_

_Levy smiled and nodded. "Yep! She was the founding Master of Fairy Tail, although at the time Fairy Tail wasn't all jobs and partying." She put a finger as she leaned in to whisper into the pink haired teen's ear. "There was a small period of unrest going on at the time?"_

_"A period of unrest? You mean the Veronica Rebellion right?"_

_"Yep! The book only mentions a few detailed, but from what books I've read the Veronica Rebellion was when the small independent country north of us, Veronica, which is located within Fiore's borders believe it or not, amassed an army of mercenaries and Dark Guilds to try and invade Crocus and take over the country!"_

_Coby blinked. "I wouldn't exactly call that time period a 'small' one if it involved a war between countries."_

_"That's why it was so glossed over and Mavis was so highlighted!" She grinned. "Mavis and Fairy Tail, and a few other guilds and mercenaries under her command, number just over a thousand strong, manage to defeat an army of seven thousand, in under a week!"_

_"That's impressive! Was she the commander of the alliance against Veronica?"_

_"Yep! Her tactics and brilliance in saving Crocus earned her Knighthood by the royalty and she was forever known as the Fairy Tactician."_

_Coby smiled, nostalgic thoughts of his old world returning. "Fairy Tactician huh? Well, this Mavis woman sounds quite the character." He looked up into the glass windows. "I hope to see her one day. But…"_

_Mavis reminded Coby of the great Vice Admiral Tsuru, dubbed the 'Great Tactician' for her routing of pirates many time, usually when she only had house money to work with in regards to resources, she won out with her tactical genius. So great were her feats she was made the second-in-command of the entire Marine military, and only the Gorosei or Fleet Admiral Sengoku had more authority than her, and rivaled only by the Three Great Admirals: Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu. She was even still enlisted and around Garp's age. Coby recalled over a dinner with Garp that Tsuru had a soft spot, but never ever showed it, so the woman was not without something of a heart._

And since the Veronica Rebellion, history had been without incident; a long list of philosophical, scientific and magical breakthroughs. Lacui and Greengate were still in a Cold War of sorts, while the nations of Pergrande enjoyed prosperity. Even the Dark Guilds were in hand, supressed by the Rune Knights and their equivalents in all other Pergrande continent nations.

It must have taken the entire day; Coby never remembered how long he sat down in one place. By the time he finished going through the books, it was almost nighttime and he walked Levy to Fairy Hills and returned to the Dreyar Estate for the night.

Thursday was a mix of Wednesday and Tuesday. Some people were relaxing in the Guild Hall, and others crammed in jobs. Mirajane relaxed with Lisanna and Elfman, mainly taking them on light jobs that were essentially chores for typical families. Erza was still on another job that she took at the crack of dawn. Gray was out on a job as well, to prepare for a wedding of some sort. Natsu tried all day to fight Coby, trying to ambush him.

His troubles were rewarded with numerous lumps on his head, most of the time Coby didn't even turn his head. He either ducked his charges, tripped him, or gave him a backhand without even looking at him and focusing on his chat with Laxus, as well doing another light delivery run for Daphne for a meager nine thousand jewels.

As Coby finished putting away the silverware he walked out of the kitchen and up the luxurious stairs. He smiled and shook his head at the sound of snoring from one of the bedrooms. Makarov slept in a lot, not to mention snoring up a storm at night. Now he knew why Laxus was so fond of those headphones. Thankfully Coby had the guest room downstairs.

He stepped into the bathroom and began to strip. As he took off his plain white shirt, he noticed how taught he looked, his muscles ripped and lean. A year ago he was just scratching at four feet. Now he was on the verge of breaking six feet, and at age fourteen. Garp's training and his strict diet of seafood, not to mention his growth spurt kicking in, helped immensely.

The teen sighed and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash over him. He had been a member of Fairy Tail for two months, and had seen so many things in this new world. Magic items bought and sold like every trinkets. People born with amazing magic abilities; transformation, control of the elements, and so many more. In a way, it still bewildered him.

And this country was at peace, despite the slight unrest abroad, Fiore had learnt its lesson not to partake in foreign alliances. They had enough issues to deal with, such as maintaining the Kingdom as well as the Dark Guild menace. Thankfully, the Dark Guilds were laying low.

Yet for all this peace, his heart ached. He should be grateful. He should be overjoyed at the prospect of fighting in a battle where it seemed like death for someone like him was imminent.

Yet his heart ached as he rubbed the shampoo in his hair. True, he may have died at the hands of the Whitebeard Pirates, maybe at the hands of the Yonkou himself, yet he would have died with honor.

People would have _known_ he died for upholding justice throughout the world.

His parents would have known…

Coby took a deep frustrated sigh as he let the water run through his hair and he looked down at the shower floor. The white foam…brought up memories.

The white foam of the sea.

Wherever he was back in his world, the sea was his ever-present companion. It was with him the day he accidentally got onto Alvida's boat and was forced into her service. It was with him when he was on that trip with Luffy. It was with him when he saw Luffy and Zoro off back in East Blue. It was with him when Axe-Hand Morgan captured him and Helmeppo. It was with him when he and Helmeppo trained countless nights on the beach, with Garp snoring close by.

No matter what, it was with him.

He turned off the water and stepped out, drying himself as he looked back into the steamed up mirror.

"MIA…" He uttered out loud. That is what he will become.

Just like his reflection in the mirror, unknown and transparent, neither living nor dead.

Just, missing.

(X)

Coby walked out onto the beach, situated behind the Guild Hall of all places, and sat down. He hugged his knees. The sky was overcast, and the water was too cold for swimming.

"Tch." he scoffed. He began to take off his white shirt and blue shorts, as well as his shoes and socks. He walked out to sea, his feet meeting the cold water.

It stung at first, but he got used to it. Once knee deep in water, he started a kata and went through some stretches, recalling his old training from before. He struck out with his leg, performing a Rankyaku, although only a small azure air blade was his reward as it flickered out after twenty meters out to sea.

The pink haired teen did it again with his other leg, and again, and again.

After performing fifty kicks with each leg, he walked back to shore, heading for a large rock he had selected on the way in. Once on top of the rock, he got down on his knees and prepped his arms.

"Shigan!"

He fired both arms into the boulder, his two index fingers sticking into the rock. Coby lifted his leg, then eased his whole body up onto his fingers. He bent his arms, moving himself down, then up.

"One…two…"

(X)

Erza Scarlet's attitude and demeanor were the opposite of the winter sky. The sun wasn't shining, but she was. She felt confident, even relaxed, as she trotted down the hill from her dorm in Fairy Hills.

Over the past year she had done an impressive amount of jobs, and completed almost all of them. Finding a lost treasure in a dark and dangerous cave rife with geographical perils? No problem. Protecting caravans from bandits? Too easy. The Giant spider?

Well, there had been _some _problems, as her bandaged arm attested. But the spider's head was adorning a lucky mayor's mantle, and she was richer by a _lot _of Jewels.

As she got to the bottom of the hill she saw someone on a rock just by the cliff under the Guild Hall. Quirking an eyebrow, the Requip Mage moved to get a better look.

"Coby?" she whispered, as she saw him doing what looked like a handstand on the rock. A flash of light and a spyglass in her hand, she took a long view at the pink haired teen from behind a bush.

His face was ripe with sweat. As she looked more closely, she saw that he was doing it with his fingers inside the stone, literally punched into the stone and lifting his entire body into the air.

"Ninety-Nine!" he spat out as he pushed himself back up again, then down very slowly, arms shaking.

"One-Hundred!" He pushed himself up into the air and landed on the beach sand, hands on his knees. His muscles were ripe, and he was only wearing-

"Oh my…" Erza blushed as she finally realized as Coby was in white briefs, slightly wet ones at that.

As Coby breathed for air, he reached down and lifted up what looked like a pebble.

"Kyah!" Erza ducked as a small stone whizzed pass her head.

"I see ya there!" called out the pink haired teen, not amused. "Peeping Tom!"

Erza came out of the bush blinking, then flustered. "W-Well…you were doing work outs on that rock there! I just wanted to watch is all!"

"You could have just come up and watched" said Coby, with quirked eye and hands on his hips. "Not in a bush with a spyglass. I've been around that plenty of times." He jabbed an accusing finger at the spyglass in her hand. She Requiped it back to her pocket dimension.

Wait…did he just say…?

"What do you mean you've 'been around plenty of times?'" she asked, hands on her hips. She stalked up to him, and realized that she was _looking _up to him as well. "Been peeking around yourself?"

"What?!" Coby looked flustered. "Where did you get that idea?"

"You said it just now! And how did you know I was peeping anyway? My giggling was very soft!"

_'Least you admit it_,' he rolled his eyes. "I heard you" he said turning around and walking towards his clothes. He heard Erza follow after him.

"Heard me how?" No way. He couldn't have better hearing than Natsu could he?

"I just did okay! It's a…mind thing." He bent over to pick up his clothes…

Erza's face turned to the color of her hair. The sound of a woman saying "Wow~!" rang out in her mind. Coby felt shivers down the spine, and spun round to face her. His face was red with anger and embarrassment.

"Stop ogling me like I'm cake or something!" Erza jumped back to avoid a cloud of kicked sand.

"What do you mean by mind thing?"she asked casually, her arms crossed over her breastplate, as Coby began getting dressed.

"None of your business." His comment made Erza puff up her cheeks.

"Why not tell me?"

"I already said it's none of your damn business!" he snapped harshly. His anger deflated suddenly, and he slumped back against the rock. "Sorry…"

"Having a bad day?" asked Erza. She sat down on the rock next to him.

"Kind of…started out alright." He sighed. "I just…well…trying to get over your parents is tough…" He looked out at the sea, unwilling to meet her gaze.

"Oh…you mean when you talked to Makarov, was it about…" She looked sullen as well. "Your parents?"

Coby looked at her. Makarov told him, no, _ordered_ him not to tell anyone about what happened back at the graveyard to anyone. He might as well humor her request.

"Yeah…Let's just say that…" He looked out to sea again, taking refuge in the sound of waves and seagulls, and the familiar salty smell. He couldn't just confess his secret to her there and then. Too many people knew far too much already. They would never believe him.

"My parents were killed in a tsunami a year ago…" It was as good as he could think of. "I couldn't find their bodies after the tsunami ended…"

"Oh…" Erza looked down at the sand, eyes narrowed as her bangs covered them. "I'm sorry to hear that…I lost my parents five years ago too…"

Coby snapped his head round to stare at her. He felt guilty for bringing up bad memories, especially over a lie, even a necessary one.

"I see…I won't ask how they died…" Her tone reminded him of those Marines who had friends or family to pirates. Sorrow mingled with anger; the frustration of those who failed to protect those they loved.

An uneasy silence descended. They exchanged glances. Her eyes were brown like his own, veiled behind her red bangs.

"The announcement for the trials is tonight," Erza said finally, looking up at the sky. "You know that right?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Be sure to be there. I know you will be considered as a potential candidate."

"That right?" asked Coby as he leaned back against the boulder. "I doubt that. I mean, I've only been in the Guild for two months." Erza smiled a little and shook her head.

"Nonsense. You know one of our S-Class Mages? Mystogan? He joined the Guild in September of last year, and competed in the following Trials. He passed."

"He must be good then." commented the pink haired teen. "But me? I've only been out on a few jobs. My resume is nowhere near good as yours or Mirajane's. Not to mention the two of you hold seniority over me due to being in the Guild much longer than me."

"True…" Erza then stood up, hand on her sword at her hip. "All I'm saying is, don't count yourself out. And besides, even if you're not selected," she turned back towards him, "Levy, Lisanna, Elfman, everyone will be there. Don't you want to be with your friends?"

Coby blinked up at her smiling visage. He shrugged and chuckled a little. "I suppose you're right." He stood up, towering over the red haired girl as he looked out to the sky with her.

"The Trials are just like those clouds. Gray, murky, unknown. We never know who might get selected. Just like we never know when the clouds will break or the weather will change."

"Forecasters can predict the weather" commented Coby. Erza let loose a small giggle.

"Then in that case, Master and the other S-Class Mages are the forecasters then."

Coby chuckled. "They'd probably make bad ones at that." The swordswoman shared his laugh as the two headed for the path leading to the Guild.

"Say Erza."

"Hmmm?"

"If you get selected," Coby looks down at her. "I hope you do good."

Erza blinked, then the tiniest shade of pink colored her cheeks a little. "Oh why thank you…if you get selected, be sure to do your best."

Coby laughed. "Sure thing…" He looked ahead.

There's no way he'd be selected. He had only been in Fairy Tail for two months, and to date was still the newest member. On top of that he wasn't even a Mage. How can he be an 'S-Class Mage' when he wasn't even a Mage?

He laughed at the joke. An 'S-Class Human', 'S-Class Marine', or even 'S-Class Martial Artist'. It wouldn't fit.

Could he even defeat mages in combat by himself?

'_Oh wait, I can_,' he corrected himself. '_I defeated those cultists way back when I arrived here in Earthland. I could possibly fight against that Youbara one on one if possible. And then there was that Pansy man…_'

He felt better for the knowledge. Besides, Garp had fought the Pirate King to a draw many times, though neither of them possessed the power of the Devil Fruits.

As Coby and Erza walked onto the main street across from the guild, Coby felt the earth shake under his feet.

"Gildarts is back." Said Erza with her hands on her hips as the town shifted into Gildarts Mode. "If memory serves this isn't your first time seeing this right?"

"Oh yeah…" Coby remembered now as he nodded.

The redhead shook her head. "It's been a turbulent two months for you. It's understandable, what with being a new member of the Guild." The two walked down the street and entered the Guild.

Inside there was, as expected, lots of people talking and clamoring at the tables. There seemed to be more of them around than usual. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Strauss siblings sitting together at a nearby table and went over to them.

Then he saw Mirajane sitting there, arms crossed, blue eyes narrowed his way.

"What's with the hostile look?" he asked with quirked eyes as he sat down across from them. Elfman was holding his parakeet cage and Lisanna was resting her head on her soft hands, beaming at him.

He felt someone sit next to him, turned, and realized it was Erza.

'_Oh.'_

He could have sworn he saw sparks between their eyes.

"You know what, I haven't had lunch yet." Coby smiled awkwardly. "I'm gonna go-"

"Restaurants are still in Gildarts mode" said Erza, matter-of-fact. "When he returns will Magnolia return to normal."

_'Balls.'_

"I saw you both walk in the same time," said Mirajane. "What gives?" She scanned her narrowed eyes over pinkhead and redhead, evidently displeased.

"Well you see-"

"Coby was out training on the beach and I was walking down to the guild when I saw him and decided to say hello."

_'That's not what happened.'_ Coby's eyes darted to Erza, then back to Mirajane, whose left eyebrow was twitching.

_'Please get here Gildarts. Please please please…'_

"That right? You, my rival, talking with my partner like that?" sneered the goth.

"Oh come on Mira!" whined Lisanna. "We're all guild mates aren't we! Nothing with saying a little hello."

"Yeah…" chuckled Coby nervously. "I mean, I say hello to everyone all the time and-"

A look from Mirajane momentarily silenced him.

"Look it's all just a simple hello and at that," sighed Coby as he stared back at Mirajane with a bored glance. "We exchanged helloes and walked up to the Guild. Is that _really_ a problem? I mean, it's not like she was measuring me up for the Trials or anything."

Mirajane's eyes went up. "Measuring you up?"

"I mean is," Coby said frantically, in order not give the silver haired girl the wrong idea and be in for thrashing. "She wasn't seeing how I could do in the Trials if I were selected."

Mirajane remained silent, eyes to the side in thought. Then they widened with realization, and her mouth sagged a little. The youngest Strauss sibling looked up to her sister, worried.

"Mira?"

Mirajane stood up. "I have to use the bathroom." She trotted away through the crowds of people. The pink haired boy looked back at the Strauss siblings and Erza.

"Any clue what was that about?" His answers were shrugs and he looked back at her retreating form.

-X-

Gildarts Clive hummed happily as he opened the door to the guild hall. The main hall was packed with people bustling around, obviously eager to see if they had been selected.

The auburn haired man had a good idea who had. After all, he _had _just finished preparing the site.

Before Gildarts could turn towards the bar, he felt a tug at his dark-brown cape. He looked down, and saw Levy MacGarden staring up at him.

"Ummm…Mr. Clive?"

"Yeah?" Asked the Crush Mage. "What's up lil gal?"

"Well…Master Makarov told me to tell you that he wants to see you…" Gildarts nodded.

"Gotcha." He rubbed the bluenette's head. "Thanks a ton. Why don't you hang out with Coby until the big announcement?" He smiled at the tiny child.

"Oh umm…okay. I'll go find him then." The bluenette jogged away with a skip to her step, making the Crush Mage smile lightly as he hoisted his pack over his shoulders and walked along the side of the room, navigating carefully through the crowd. With any luck…

"Gildarts!" He sighed. No such luck.

"Fight me!" Gildarts halted, just in front of a window. Natsu flashed past, bursting through the window in a shower of glass to crash into a nearby tree. The Crush Mage walked on, ignoring the groans from the broken window, and headed up a set of stairs to the S-Class lounge and Makarov's office. As he opened the door, he was mildly surprised to find it only dimly lit but for the desk, which was covered in photographs.

"Welcome home Gildarts." Makarov was seated at the desk, smiling at him. Laxus was lounging on the couch, his earphones on and magazine over his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see movement in the shadows.

Mystogan.

"So then, I think you all made your picks?" asked the auburn haired man. Makarov nodded.

"Yes. We were waiting on you. I take it that the Trial site is complete?"

"Yep. Finished yesterday morning. Took all day to sail back to Hargeon." Gildarts plopped down on the sofa, making the blond lightning mage stir.

"Good." Makarov gestured to his desk. "Your selections?" The auburn haired man stood up and walked past the dwarf. As he could look at the scattered out photos, he could feel the eyes of both Laxus and Mystogan on him.

He sorted through the photos and presented them to Makarov, who inspected them one by one, nodding at several photos.

"I see. We made similar picks."

"They've gotten stronger. I can tell."

"Master," spoke up Mystogan, his voice young and calm. "May I ask why you, Laxus and now Gil-"

"Oui oui Mystogan," Laxus drawled, lifting the Sorcerer's Weekly magazine to the side to stare into the corner where the enigma lurked. "Did we egg you on your picks?"

"Well no. I-"

"Got a reason to object?" asked Makarov, cocking an eyebrow.

"Just curious is all." whispered the cloaked mage, the shadows hiding even his eyes.

"Well, we've all relied on gut instinct every now and then. And you know the old saying, go with your gut." The dwarf gave a grin. "Besides, they deserve a fair shot. Outside of them, there's really no really good Mage yet."

Gildarts saw Mystogan shrug. "Fair enough. I apologize for my interruption."

"You really got to stop apologizing" sighed Laxus. "It's not like we're princes and kings. Just men who are higher up the employment ladder looking for an equal peer."

"I'll sort through your picks then, as well as consider the picks made by Laxus and Mystogan." Makarov took the photos from Gildarts and plopped down at his desk, moving the pictures to the side and placing the photos Gildarts selected and the ones the lightning mage and enigma picked earlier.

Gildarts' eye turned towards the Sorceror's Weekly magazine and opened it.

"Oh come on. _Most Desirable Bachelors and Bachelorettes?_ Are they running out of ideas or something? Boring." Gildarts as he rolled his eyes as his eyes scanned its contents.

"Pretty much." murmured Laxus as he relaxed, looking up at the ceiling. He turned his eyes to the side to see Gildarts inspecting the Bachelorttes section in great detail.

"Hypocrite." murmured Mystogan.

"Dirty old man." added Laxus.

"Piss off."

Makarov smiled, shaking his head as he inspected the photos before him.

He made his selections.

-X-

Mirajane finished washing her hands as she looked in the mirror in the bathroom.

'_How could I have been so stupid?_' Thought the girl as she looked back, then down at the sink. '_Coby was…he was put in consideration for the Trials?'_

Coby _was_ a member of the Guild, and Guild Law mandated that every guild member to be considered, regardless of his or her strength or standing. It was why judging and selecting the candidates took so long.

But Makarov knew. He knew Coby's secret. He knew that Coby, behind all that Rokushiki and mind-reading stuff, was just a normal human. His parents were not mages. They were normal, average, magic-less humans.

Yet, Coby had a chance to become an S-Class Mage?

It made zero sense. Heck, it wasn't even _fair. _But Coby had proved himself capable of fighting mages without help. He had taken care of the cultists, laid the finishing blow on Youbara, survived the jaws of a Murklurker Mother, and even stood up to Pansy Kujaku back in Charybdis.

Mirajane growled at her visage. She was angry. Angry at the idea of it all. Angry at the law allowing Coby to be considered. Angry at the fact that she needed the money to give Lisanna and Elfman presents for the upcoming holidays.

And she was angry at herself for being so angry about it, for looking down on Coby. He was a comrade, a friend. A _close_ friend. He had saved her life many times, risking his life to draw out the poison in her veins. He had worried for her during that mess with Kujaku.

It didn't help how _ripped _he was. Those muscles, that gentle, kind face, that child-like fascination with seafood, the obsession with training.

Mirajane began to dry her hands with paper towels as she rested her head against the wall. She was selfish, she knew. She took no shame in it. She was being selfish to make Lisanna and Elfman happy. She had to be the mother in their lives. She needed this S-Class ranking for the power to protect them, and the money to provide for them, and for herself.

And she had contemplated throwing a dear friend under the bus in order to achieve it. If Lisanna had read her mind and found out, she would hate her, and she would probably deserve it.

And if all that wasn't bad enough, Coby had this annoying ability to attract undesirables. First it was Erza, who was looking increasingly like Coby's latest friend. It irked her a little, almost as much as Lisanna's affection for the boy. Natsu was bad enough, but Coby was…

"Better than Natsu" she said aloud, as she walked on out the door and down the empty hallway to the main hall. If she had to choose between brash but well-meaning idiot who looked adorable when flustered or crying, or the diligent, committed, strong, and downright studly ex-marine for Lisanna's husband, the choice was clear. Lisanna had known Natsu longer, but she trusted Coby more.

Except there was Levy. When the heck did that blue-haired bookworm gain Coby's friendship and-

Mirajane blushed. Then smacked her head.

"I can't believe this!" she growled at herself. "I'm friggin' attracted to the guy!" She sighed, and marched towards the hall.

'_That settles it. I know Master won't select Coby to take part in the trials. He's not a mage, so he shouldn't a part of it. But tonight, when I get selected…_' She looked out the window towards the now normal town, it's citizens returning to normalcy after Gildarts mode.

'_I'll repay you Coby. For all the help you gave me.'_

She allowed herself to smile a little at her reflection in the glass. Then she ran down the corridor and back into the bustling Guild hall, where everyone was on their feet. She had a shrewd idea why.

Gildarts and Laxus faced eachother atop a stage, with Makarov in the middle. Behind them was a great lime-green tarp with the Fairy Tail insignia on it. She pushed through the crowd to get back to her table.

"Saved your spot." Mirajane blinked. Why did Erza save her spot!?

"What gives?" asked the goth, glaring suspiciously at the redhead. "I owe you or something?"

"Nothing of the kind." Erza smiled confidently as she turned to face her. "I want my rival to be right by me is all. I have a good feeling."

Mirajane smirked, crossing her arms. "Well, thanks anyway. Still, if we do get selected for the trials, don't expect me going easy on ya, muffintop."

"Right back at you, thunder thighs."

As lightning crackled between their gazes, the table's other occupants sighed.

"Even acting cordially for once they still want to pummel each other," Lisanna commented sourly. "Guess it can't be helped." Elfman nodded.

"That's big sister for ya."

Coby turned towards the stage, and Mirajane turned towards the pink haired teen, a slight blush on her cheeks.

And she smiled.

All around, the guild members were nervous, excited, anxious, any meaning of the word as the dwarf cleared his throat.

"Members of Fairy Tail! Since the time of days long past, on this day on the third Friday of the third week of December, I will announce the Candidates of this years S-Class Mage Promotion Trial!"

The audience let out a cheer.

"Any minute now!" exclaimed one voice.

"I've been on jobs like crazy! I'll get selected for sure!" added another.

"In your dreams!" bellowed Mirajane confidently, not caring who it was. "I'm a lock for this Trial!" She looked towards Coby, who smiled at her.

Mirajane turned away, blushing a little. '_Stop smiling! You're making me lose composure idiot!'_

"Oui!" cried out Laxus. "Settle down! Let Gramps talk!" And the Guild did just that. Makarov nodded at Laxus, and turned towards the audience.

"Due to permission from the Minstrel Magic Council, this year's exam will take place in the Kobzar Province in northern Minstrel! Within the Kobzar Province was the land where the second Master of Fairy Tail, Purehito, saved over half the guild from an onslaught of Wyverns while hosting an archeological dig in the Bardios Mountain! It is the nature preserve surrounding the mountain and the encircling forest."

The crowd murmured, awed and impressed by the significance of the place.

"Say Erza," asked Coby, leaning towards the redhead. "What type of test is the S-Class Trials anyway?"

"It changes every year," replied the redhead. "The test is always different, but from what I've heard, very difficult."

"But still, even though someone has a chance to pass," whispered in Mirajane. "There are sometimes no S-Class mages at all."

Coby blinked. "That so?"

"The S-Class Mage requirements differ from Guild to Guild. One guild would have over a dozen of them, whereas our guild only has three currently," added Elfman. "Makarov makes sure it's _really_hard to pass."

Coby nodded. It made sense after all. Being an S-Class Mage meant highly dangerous jobs and quests, but the great rewards on top of the hazard pay made the risk worthwhile.

"Over the past year, I have judged the power, the heart, and the soul, of you all! And after much deliberation there will be six candidates taking part!" Makarov bellowed, clenching his fist.

The audience held its breath.

"First off, **Cana Alberona**!" The Guild cheered as they cleared the way for a small teenage girl who was sitting at the bar sipping from a flash. As soon as her name was called, she spat out her drink.

"What! I got selected!?" yelled the surprised brunette.

"Good for you Cana!" cheered Lisanna, waving.

"Atta girl!" added in Natsu, a bandage around his head.

"Aye sir!" cheered Happy. It made the Card Mage blush.

"**Macao Conbolt**!"

"Huh?!" said Macao, taken by surprise as the audience clapped. "I got in?" Then it hit him.

"Yes! I got in!" He leapt up onto a table and pointed down at an irked, pipe-smoking Wakaba. "In your face Wakaba! Pay up on that bet!"

"Not on my life!" retorted Wakaba. "I still haven't been called yet!"

"You won't! Make it rain fool!"

Makarov continued. "**Wakaba Mine!"**

Now it was Macao's turn to be dumbstruck, and the pompadour-haired man smirked.

"Now _you_ pay up bucko!" Macao's head butted into the smoker and the two growled.

"**Erza Scarlet!"** The room went up in cheers as Erza smiled at all the claps and whistles all around her.

"I'll show you all what I can do! What I've done over this past year!"

Mirajane bit her lower lip. She hadn't been called yet! Please be next, please be next...

**"Mirajane Strauss!"**

_"YEEES!"_ Mirajane leapt high into the air, arms outstretched in jubilation.

"Awesome Mirajane! You got selected! Congrats!" Coby was overjoyed. Mirajane turned to face him, tears of joy in her eyes as her sister and brother clapped and cheered. The urge to give him a bear hug was strong, and she no longer wanted to resist.

'_A kiss too..._' Mirajane thought as she neared the pink haired boy. _'It's the least I can do.'_

"Coby..." she whispered. The Marine picked up her murmur and took notice, seeing her smiling face.

She didn't look cute with the smile on her face...she looked...

"Thanks..." She murmured.

Coby smiled back, feeling fuzzy in his stomach for some reason as the crowd drowned out between them.

"Any time..." They took a step closer, the silver haired girl's arms stretched out. Back on the stage, Makarov took a deep breath.

"**And finally, the last candidate is!"**

'_Coby...I...' _thought Mirajane as she closed her eyes. Coby blinked curiously.

"Eh? Mira? Your face is getting a little close..."

"**Coby Marinford!"**

* * *

**AT LONG LAST! I'VE BEEN WRITING FOR THIS MOMENT! THIS AWESOME SWEET SWEET MOMENT!**

**I apologize for the wait. Schools been hounding me, as I have been trying to find my next 4 year uni, and maybe even try to find a job too.**

**So as you can see, I gave you all a taste of Erza and Mirajane this chapter. I have neglected the both of them, so I figured why not. Plus, this may signal the death of the Coby/Mira pairing, as Mirajane is still in her youngBitch phase and is selfish. Or it may strengthen it, who knows.**

**So what do you think will happen? Mirajane hating Coby's guts? She treating him like an Erza-tier rival, or something else? Who knows.**

**Note, I will aim to update Words next. I have been neglecting that and I apologize.**

**Also, thanks to Coby's timeskip appearance in One Piece: Hand Island Adventure, I have had thoughts of what if Coby and Helmeppo in their timeskip selves get sent over to Earthland. Quite the neat idea if someone wants to tackle that.**

**Big thanks to Juubi-K and Murazor for beta'ing.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

Silence.

Standing from on top of the stage, Laxus looked from one to the other of the guild members. They stood there, eyes wide, mouths open. After a few moments they turned their heads as one, staring at the pink-haired boy.

"Eh?" Coby blurted out, eyes wide as if caught in headlights.

Laxus sighed. Of course people would be surprised. But _he _had voted for Coby, as had Gildarts and even Makarov. Mystogan alone had objected, and that was no surprise, for he had never seen Coby in battle. Letting him join the guild was one thing, letting him enter the S-Class trials was quite another.

"Oh my gosh! Congratulations Coby!" shrieked Lisanna as she ran up and hugged the ex-Marine. "You got selected! That's awesome!"

"Indeed. Looks like luck favored you tonight," added Erza, putting an armored hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be interesting seeing what you can do in the trials."

"Awww! I wanted to be selected!" pouted Natsu, arms crossed. "I won't lose to you though Coby! I will be selected next year! Happy!"

"Yeah?" The flying cat flew near to Natsu.

"Let's get stronger and show Coby!" He ran out of the guild hall, a trail of fire after him. "What a Dragon Slayer is made of~!"

"Aye sir!" Happy flew on after the speed demon of a fire mage, the guild members turning their heads to watch them go. Gray sighed.

"Moron." He turned back to where the group was congratulating Coby, and noticed someone missing.

"Say, where did Miraj-"

Then he saw the open door, felt the cold winter air blowing in. As the other guild members celebrated by tossing Coby into the air, Gray looked out of the open door.

He saw a familiar figure, just as it vanished into the darkness.

-X-

Makarov sighed. He looked up to Gildarts, who nodded. The dwarf turned back towards the audience.

"This time, only one will be selected to pass from among you all. You have one week to prepare. Next Friday we will be setting off for Hargeon Town, and from there south to Minstrel. Best of luck to you all!"

Cheers erupted from the audience, and Makarov turned towards Gildarts, who was already leaving the stage. Gildarts nodded to him, then continued on his way. The dwarf looked out over the crowd; so many smiling faces. He could see Macao and Wakaba puffing out their chests, and Cana and Erza pressuring Coby into another friendly drinking competition.

"Laxus," Makarov waved for his grandson to lean down and gave him his ear. "Make sure Coby doesn't drink himself to death. He only lasted a few shots the last time, and I doubt he's gotten any better."

"Sure." Laxus hopped off the stage and jogged towards the mass of rejoicing people. The dwarf sighed.

'And yet despite all of this you are saddened, aren't you? Mirajane.'

-X-

It couldn't be. It just couldn't be.

Mirajane's mind couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Coby? Selected for the Trials? Trials reserved only for Mages?

_Mages._

Mage. Definition: a person with magic.

Coby has no magic.

So Coby shouldn't be in a Trial reserved for Mages.

So why in the world is he participating? Why in the world did Makarov and the S-Class mages do something so…so…

"Stupid!" she cursed as she ran through the dreary streets, the sky's darkening with winter. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

She turned a corner, ignoring other people's calls to watch where she was going, and saw South Gate Park. Mirajane continued to run down the stairs, tears rushing down her face.

She needed the money to finally give Elfman and Lisanna the Holidays they deserved. She needed the status to get more jobs. She needed to be on top of Erza. And she was going to kiss him!

A rival! A competitor! A threat to her goal!

And yet…deep down…

"STUPID!" She rushing up to the great tree in the centre and began to punch it out of frustration. "Stupid Makarov! Stupid Gildarts! Stupid Laxus! Stupid Coby! Stupid stupid stupid STUPID!" She emphasized each 'stupid' with a punch and finally a head butt on the massive tree, making a large indent. She felt rain begin to fall, and her knees gave way. She slumped, resting her head against the trunk. As she felt the rain prick at her skin, she looked down, her anger deflated as she felt blood trickle down her crown.

"I…I like him…but…" she said out loud. "I…I…" Mirajane bit her lip, closing her eyes to keep tears from flowing.

She liked him. She, Mirajane Strauss, liked Coby Marinford. She was going to kiss him for thanks for helping her and…because…

"Like him?" said a familiar voice. Mirajane turned, her hair scarlet hanging loose. There, shielded from the rain by an umbrella, was Gildarts.

Mirajane felt anger rise up back in her. "It's all your fault!"

Gildarts smirked a little. "Pfft. My fault? For what?"

"Don't fuck around with me!" she snapped. "You voted for Coby in the trials didn't you! You and Laxus!" It made the most sense. Both she and Coby had gone on dangerous quests with the S-Class mages: both of them saw what the Take Over Mage and the ex-marine could do.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't." He shrugged. "I don't see why this is a big deal Mirajane."

"This is a big deal you dumbass!" Mirajane barked. "You made a non-magical a person a candidate to become an elite mage. It makes no sense!"

"Well for one, Coby is a part of the guild and according to Council rules all Guilds can have their own S-Class Mage requirements and prerequisites. Makarov's rules state that any member of the Guild can be qualified for the Trial," spoke Gildarts in a calm tone. "Let me guess, you skimmed over the rules didn't you?"

"That doesn't matter! Coby has no place to be an S-Class Mage! He doesn't even have any magic to begin with!"

"That's something only we know. Coby's Rokushiki and his ability to see into the future can pass off as magic alone," he tilted his head a little to the side. "Did that idea ever come to your mind at all? We're just being fair Mira."

Mirajane kept quiet, but her cheeks were puffed in anger. "Well…I…" She scrambled to find a reason, but she then spoke before she thought.

"But now the competition is higher than ever and the integrity of the S-Class Mage Trials are-"

"Oh so _that's_ it huh?" Gildarts said, tone switching from amused to sour. "You want the easy way to become an S-Class mage huh? Make it just you and you alone?"

"I need the money! Every damn year!" Mirajane looked down at her hands as she stood up. "Every damn year I disappoint them! Year after year since my mom went out of her fucking mind and killed dad!"

"Them? You mean Elfman and Lisanna right?"

"Who else!"

"How do you know they are disappointed in you?"

"All the kids their age during the holidays get the best presents!" Mirajane wailed. "Me? I'm stuck with hand me downs and cheap toys!" The tears flowed, mixing with the rain. "How can I call myself their big sister if I settle for second best all the time?! I want the money to make Lisanna and Elfman happy!"

"So you want to copy parents who spoil their kids? If anything, I say Lisanna and Elfman are fine."

"Piss off! You don't understand!" Mirajane shrieked. "You don't understand what it means to be their parent! I'm their support! I want what's the absolute best for them and now look!" She pointed a finger at Gildarts. "You just HAD to pit me up against…against…"

"Your crush?"

She looked away, face torn. "Coby is…my rival now. Just like Erza is…"

"I admit I don't understand what it means to be a parent," said Gildarts calmly. "But Coby is your friend, and your emotions are in a storm. Why don't you be happy for Coby? I mean, he can finally clear up his money issue. If memory serves, you're doing quite well on money."

Mirajane glared. "I…I just want what's best for them…and he's a wall in the way of me bringing smiles to their faces."

"So you'll bust down that wall and trample over the debris right?"

"Damn right I-"

She was caught off-guard by a back handed slap, sending her flying and skidding on the wet grass. Mirajane put a hand on her cheek and looked up at Gildarts in surprise. And that surprise was replaced by fear.

Gildarts was _furious._ Yet no word came out of his scowling face.

"What was that for!" Mirajane yelled, anger mingling with her fear.

"You know Mira," said Gildarts in a low tone. "I am _really_ disappointed in you…" He took a small step and Mirajane slowly retreated scuffle by scuffle. "Coby is your guild-mate, your comrade, your friend. Shit," he cursed, "you're even getting _wet_ over the guy!"

"No I'm not!" Mirajane shrieked, horrified by the suggestion.

"Well why are you wet right now? It's because of Coby!"

And silence fell between the two of them as the rain fell, Mirajane soaked to the bone.

Then it hit Mirajane and she almost chuckled. Almost.

"Listen to me Mirajane, you can't have that mindset in regards to your fellow guild-mates. Your guild-mates are the one who always have your back no matter what. If they fall, you help pick them up and they will help you when you fall. You drink with them, laugh with them, fight alongside them. And here I thought you would grow up," sneered Gildarts as he looked down at her.

"Grow up how?" snarked back Mirajane rebelliously.

"That you would grow past using Coby for the Trials, and see him as a friend."

"I do!" Mirajane cried out. "It's just that-"

"Oh, so as long as you get the best money and jobs while Coby wallows in debt that's okay with you? He has to take loans from me and Laxus just to cover the necessities!" barked Gildarts. "Hell, he can't even live inside his own home because he doesn't have the rent money for this month! But you!" He pointed a finger at an overwhelmed Mirajane. "The moment he has an opportunity to better his situation of life, you want to crush him down and stomp him into dust! All because you can't give Lisanna and Elfman as much as you want to! Are you so blind?!"

Mirajane couldn't find a retort, face twisted in emotions. "I…I…"

"Lisanna and Elfman love you either way." The anger was gone, but his words still pierced. "They love the presents you give them. They don't want some rich gold-covered rocking horse. They just want the love of their sister. Are you that superficial underneath that pretty face of yours?"

Mirajane had no answer, just looking down at the ground, shivering as the cold got to her. She felt her hand being opened and something placed it in, the rain stopping.

"Here, keep it. Head home and dry off before you get a cold. Or else you won't be able to compete in the Trials at all." And Gildarts began to walk away.

"Mirajane. Don't make the same mistake…" Gildarts caught himself. He didn't want to say _that_ man's name. "…a former guild member made. Your siblings love you. Coby likes you too as a friend. Don't become so ambitious you'll toss your friends to the wayside for the sake of your goals."

And the Crush Mage began to walk away, leaving Mirajane with an umbrella in the rain. The girl moved the umbrella to the side, looking up at the weeping heavens as she felt the cold pin pricks wipe away the blood…

Her fist and teeth became clenched. And she hit the ground with a dark magic powered fist.

"DAMNIT!"

* * *

_One Week Later. Hargeon Harbor_

"All passengers aboard! Let's set sail!" cried out Makarov, standing on the deck of the _fluyt_ ship the guild had rented for the journey. Gildarts nodded and turned the wheel as Laxus and Coby undid the ropes. Their task complete, a quick Geppou and Lightning Body spell bore them back on deck.

As Laxus walked around the deck, he turned his head and saw Mirajane in a far corner. She stood resting on her arms, unmoving as the ship set sail, staring out to sea.

Over the last week, ever since the Trial candidates were announced, Mirajane had been surprisingly quiet. She only spoke with her siblings, and whenever Coby came near she instantly clammed up. The pink-haired teen had started to get worried, and tried to ask what was wrong. Her only answer was a sad sideways glance before walking off, ignoring whatever he had to say.

Laxus had asked Gildarts about it, since he had seen the older mage following Mirajane out of the guild hall that night. Gildarts had indeed talked with her, wanting her to be happy for Coby; but apparently she was upset that her crush was now competing against her.

The blonde sighed. Mirajane's reasons seemed sound, and he couldn't imagine how it felt to have to be a parent to his own siblings. But he couldn't help but feel that she was taking it too far. He had actually expected Mirajane to try and talk Coby out of competing.

He began to wonder just _what _Gildarts had said or done. The quiet, depressed girl before him was not the Mirajane Strauss he knew. She still got into spats with Erza, but nothing like how she was before.

Laxus almost felt guilty for selecting Coby, but the marine deserved it. If Mirajane didn't like the decision, she can kick rocks.

Except Coby was looking sullen too. Did he feel guilty? Did he feel cheated out of a kiss from her?

Well, there was nothing to be done for it. Laxus put the thoughts aside as he looked around the boat, seeing all the competitors. Macao and Wakaba were in jolly conversation with each other over by the bow of the ship. Erza was relaxing up on the upper deck near Gildarts. Cana was out on the deck looking at her cards, with a flask in hands reach. Coby was right next to him, and Mirajane was alone with her thoughts.

"Hey, Laxus," Coby looked up to the blonde. "Got any idea how long until we reach Minstrel?"

"About a day or two. Minstrel and Fiore are pretty close to each other."

"And the Trial site?"

Laxus looked to the side, scratching his cheek. "I…can't really say. I mean, I am an examiner after all."

"Ah. I understand." The two of them sat down on one of the benches, and Laxus noticed the pink haired boy's head turn towards the brooding Take Over Mage.

"You notice?" he asked.

"Yeah. She's been avoiding you since the announcement."

"Why though?" asked Coby as he looked pained. "I mean, I'm excited to be competing against her in this Trial, but…"

"She isn't exactly sharing your enthusiasm?"

"That's one way to put it. I mean, Erza was happy for me. Cana made me drink until I passed out again." Laxus felt a smile tug at his face. Seeing his best friend get wasted never got old. "And even Macao and Wakaba gave me props. But Mira…"

"Mira isn't exactly Erza. She's her own person and…maybe she's just trying to take in the surprise. And besides, I guess she isn't too wild about competing against you, maybe because she doesn't want go against her friend." He smiled lightly. "A very dear friend. After all, you two have been through so much."

Coby took in those words and nodded. "Got it, in fact I will-"

"Okay everyone!" shouted out Makarov, who was standing on the gunwhale by the wheel. Laxus stood up, Macao and Wakaba stopped talking, Cana looked up as did Erza in confusion. Mirajane turned her head a little to the side. The thunder mage sighed.

"Guess it's time huh?"

"Hmmm?" Coby saw Laxus walk up to his grandfather and stood by his side.

"Now then, as we are en route to the Kozbar Province, we will begin the first test!"

"What!" cried out Macao.

"But I thought the Trials were being held at Bardios Mountain!" added Wakaba.

"That is where the True S-Class Trials will take place," commented Makarov crossing his arms and nodding his head. "A true S-Class Mage, while out on a dangerous job, must always be wary of the unexpected. He or she must have the determination to press on through, and the resilience to withstand the job's dangers."

Erza nodded. "Hence the themes said last week…" She placed an armored hand around her chin. "It makes sense." Mirajane scowled, her fists clenched, her eyes blazing with ambition. Coby kept quiet, biting his lower lip in anticipation of what Makarov would say next.

"Now," Makarov clapped his hands, the door leading into the inside of the fluyt opening. "The first stage of the Trials will begin below. Our other S-Class Mage, Mystogan, is waiting below."

"So that's why he wasn't around," commented Erza.

"Mystogan…wasn't he the other S-Class mage of this guild?" asked Coby leaning in towards the redhead. The armored girl nodded.

"Yes. He's extremely reclusive though, and only appears in person with Master. If he's down there," Erza thought out loud. "Then it's going to be dark, so we can't see him."

Coby gulped. "We aren't going to…fight him are we?"

"Now," Makarov spoke. "Mystogan will list out the instructions of the first trial. Only one participant can go in at a time, so we will do so in alphabetical order by surnames." He smiled proudly. "Make me proud, and good luck!"

The Fairy Tail S-Class Trials had begun.

* * *

**Well there you go, the beginning of the S-Class Trial arc. Surprised ya at the end again didn't I?**

**Anyways I apologize for the lack of updates. I finally moved into Utah State and am focusing on many things:**

**Trying to get this one girl out on a date.**

**Dark Souls. Seriously, best. Game. EVER. Thank you Artful Lounger and LD 1449 to introducing me to that crappy Demon Souls, which makes way to the much more fair, much more fun and beautiful Dark Souls. Now to throw my tight wallet for Dark Souls 2, and eventually buy Dragons Crown.**

**School. I am on scholarship and need to keep my grades up to make sure I am eligible. As I am taking major courses, I need to devote my time to them and what not.**

**College Football. I am a ginormous CFB fan, and love watching the games, but I do despise the SEC.**

**Also I have done a lot of thinking of the future story, and I have some neat ideas...you will be surprised on what I have in store for the future.**


	24. Chapter 24

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

"Okay, let's start it off! The S-Class Trials begins now!"

Makarov strode over the trial-takers, arms crossed but with a face of stone. Deep down he felt proud, but he needed to keep an impartial and unbiased stance. That meant being hard on the trial-takers and accepting no excuses.

Unless the situation was especially grievous, like the Trial being interrupted by, say…a Dark Guild.

"The First Trial will test your resilience of the mind, and Mystogan will be your Proctor down below the deck and will give you the instructions. And the first contestant, as we are going in alphabetical order…is Cana Alberona!"

Cana sat up, taking on last swig and pocketing her cards into a card holster of sorts. The brunette smiled with confidence as she stepped toward the door leading down into the boat.

"Okay, here I go!" And she stepped into the cabin. The door closed behind her, and the rest of the candidates looked up to Makarov.

"Yo Master," Wakaba waved his arm. "I take it we wait until Cana either passes or fails right?"

"Correct." The dwarf sat down on the ledge and crossed his arms. "For now, be patient."

The pipe smoker shrugged and leaned over to Macao. "Since we're going in alphabetical order, you're up next you know."

"I know," gulped the blue haired man. "I'm just…trying to remain calm. I have no idea what this test will have."

"Ah relax." Wakaba slapped his back. "Look on the bright side. If you fail you have a head start back home to see your _lovely_ wife again!"

"Screw that!" Macao paled, and Wakaba laughed.

Off to the side, Erza and Coby sat on a bench, seemingly lost in thought.

"Say Erza," Coby said, breaking the silence.

"Yes?"

"What does he mean by testing our 'resilience of the mind'? Is he gonna pop something like a quiz?"

"Who knows. We won't know until after we taken the test.

Coby looked around, trying to think of something to continue the conversation as the boat began to set sail.

"Alright! Cana has passed!" called out Makarov, looking down at a device. "Macao Conbolt! You're up!"

"Go get'em tiger!" called a cheeky Wakaba as he slapped Macao's back once more.

"I'm going I'm going!" He opened the door and stepped inside. The group dispersed back to their original spots; Wakaba sitting by a nearby table smoking his cigarette, Coby and Erza in their spot over by the mast, and Mirajane looking out to sea.

And time passed, the only sounds being the bubble popping of Mirajane's gum.

"So..." Coby decided to strike conversation. "I heard that you liked-

And out the door came Macao, shoulders slumped, but his face looked sullen, frightened.

"Oui Macao!" Wakaba ran up to him. "You alright? What happened?" Erza and Coby followed suit, Mirajane not far behind him, as Macao sat on the bench.

"I failed...I-"

"Enough Macao," said Gildarts suddenly. "You can't tell them about the test until the test is completed. Understood?" The blue haired man looked up and nodded, before looking down at the floor, hands clasped.

"So...will I need to swim back to Hargeon?"

"We're sailing at the moment so no. You will stay with us throughout the trip. Besides, if Wakaba passes you can cheer him and your guild-mates on," answered Makarov up above. "Next up, Coby Marinford!" He looked down at the pink haired teen. "Get on going."

Coby gulped. Macao looked like he had seen something he shouldn't have seen given the ghastly expression on his face. He felt hand on his shoulder and turned, seeing a confident Erza.

"You can do it. Just be calm. If Cana can pass, so can you right?"

Macao looked at Coby. "Coby, I can't say anything about the test...but good luck. Just...just be strong okay?"

Coby nodded. "Thanks, I will." Mirajane pretended not to notice, making a show of chewing some bubblegum.

The pink haired teen stepped forward and opened the door, seeing the dark cabin before him. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. In an instant the lights went out, and all was dark but for a series of glowing arrows on the floor. Coby followed them through the cabin, and found a small circular stairway, leading down under the cabin.

At the bottom there was nothing; nothing but utter, stygian darkness, silent but for the sound of his breathing.

And yet there it was, that feeling again in his mind. It was as if his mind was reaching out, sweeping around and around, brushing a feather-light touch over all around him.

Coby saw him; sitting there at the mast, with staves all around him. Mystogan, swathed in a voluminous cloak that hid even his eyes. Behind him were six doors.

"Okay." Coby gathered his courage, and stepped forward into the darkness. "What is the First Test?"

He…_felt _shuffling in the darkness as Mystogan lifted one of his staves and waved it in the air. Glowing white letters took form in the air before him.

**You will be tossed into a nightmare and you must fight through it, but you have a chance to end the nightmare whenever you want. However, if you do so, you will fail, understand?**

"Hence the resilience of the mind, and yes I understand. One more question, is magic allowed?" he asked. He saw the staff in the light move once more.

**Yes.**

Coby saw something levitate in the air, the room illuminated by the glowing letters, and stop in front of him. He reached for it and saw...a buzzer of sorts.

**Press this to end the nightmare, but you will fail.**

'_So it's all on me.._.' He thought. '_This is nothing but mental._'

Coby slipped the buzzer into his left pocket, then sat across from the sitting Mystogan, legs crossed.

"I'm ready. Bring it on."

And the letters changed, fading and shifting into new shapes.

**Endure.**

All was silent as the darkness around Coby began to shift and twirl, as if the entire environment was becoming distorted. Coby looked around, then stood up, his head darting back and forth as the world around him flowed and shifted like oil on water.

He was in what looked like a graveyard, the sky a dull grey above him, the rain beginning to fall.

Wait...this place...

Coby turned around, seeing a grave and his eyes widened.

It was the grave of Catherine Kilgore Dreyar. That could only mean-

He leapt to the left, a blade flashing past an instant later. He spun round to face his attacker, and gasped.

With a sword made of flowing Shikigami and glowing in a sick purple, Ivan Dreyar smirked.

"No...this is just a nightmare...it's not real!" yelled Coby, fists clenched as he felt his heart pounding. "You're not here! This all-"

His tirade fell silent as Ivan darted towards him like lightning.

"No!" Coby ducked the swing, feeling the blade slice over his hair. He dodged the backswing, then threw a _Jyugan _straight into Ivan's midsection. The demonic figure exploded into a cloud of paper dolls, the tiny shapes swirling around him as if he were in the eye of a twister. Coby lashed out with fists and feet, but there was no end to them.

Suddenly the dolls converged, sticking to Coby and binding him like a mummy, immobilizing him. He felt fear grip at his soul, the fear turning into despair as the dolls on his left metamorphosed into the shape of a man's torso. The torso grew arms, then a head, and then the grinning face of Ivan Dreyar.

Coby screamed, muffled by the paper dolls as Ivan's right hand glowed with dark magic, ready to strike him down.

And then he realised that his left side wasn't covered by shikigami. His left arm was free. He could reach into his pocket, get the buzzer, end this nightmare. He reached down…

"_Wait…" _he thought, as fear drove his hand closer and closer to the buzzer. "_This isn't real..._"

Ivan's fist came down. But Coby was faster, his left hand whistling up to strike him in the face. The Shikigami scattered, fluttering away from his body. Ivan took shape before him, his expression unchanged.

"You're not real..." Coby breathed. "You're just an illusion...Makarov said this test would test my strength of mind and how much punishment it can take..." He glared at Ivan, his fear fading to be replaced by anger, the ice water in his veins fleeing the fire in his heart.

"Makarov must have told you about our greatest fears... right Mystogan!?" He drew back his fist. Ivan did the same, dark magic and Shikigami swirling around his right fist.

"I will admit...I'm scared." His gasping became a growl as his lungs settled. "I've only been this scared twice in my life so far. You and that damned pirate!" He gritted his teeth at the memory, at how that same cold sickness had almost overtaken him once again.

"I almost pissed myself! But I…I'm _not _gonna give up! Not here and now!"

Ivan charged, cape billowing. The rain hammered down around them.

"I'll become stronger!" Coby stepped forward, dodging Ivan's punch. "And stronger, and stronger! And when I do!"

He saw Laxus in his mind's eye, and his anger became hatred. Laxus, his friend and mentor, had suffered because of this man, if he even was a man. He aimed a _Jyugan_ at Ivan's jaw, felt his power thundering through him to gather in his fist. Anger empowered it. _Hatred _empowered it.

"I'll take you down, Ivan Dreyar!"

His fist struck home, and Coby felt the jawbone shatter before Ivan was sent flying. His body disintegrated, the paper dolls fluttered burning to the ground in purple fire. Coby stood where he was, panting as the fury that had empowered him faded.

"Good work..." said a muffled voice as the muddy wet graveyard began to shift and twirl back to the darkened chamber under the deck. "You pass."

As Coby saw the standing Mystogan, staff in hand, he felt the last of his energy leave him.

"Whaa...I passed..." He laughed, stumbling. "Great...I gotta tell..." And he slumped forward, falling into Mystogan's arms. The cloaked mage held the sleeping marine up right and took him to his room. He laid Coby on the bed, took a moment to ensure there was nothing _actually _wrong with him, then headed back to the mast. He reached under his robes and retrieved a small circular device, a green button at its center. He pressed the button, then sat down at the base of the mast.

* * *

_4 minutes later._

Erza watched as Wakaba came walking out, shoulders slumped and face pale as he sat with Macao.

"Failed too huh?

"Yeah...I saw things I should not have seen..."

"At least I managed eight minutes! You barely even lasted half that time!"

"Screw you! I had to deal with-"

"Quiet! We still have test takers at the ready," called out Makarov, making sure the two would spoil anything. "Erza Scarlet! You're up!" The Armor Mage turned and walked towards the cabin, passing a stoic Mirajane, and went down the stairway.

Coby and Cana were able to pass so far, yet Macao and Wakaba failed. What did it mean?

She saw the movement of staves, and knew Mystogan was there. The magical letters formed in front of her, detailing her instructions.

Face a nightmare huh? Shouldn't be too hard.

Mystogan's staff made a 'tack' on the wooden floor, and the world around her began to twist and change. Erza stood her ground, sword gripped tight.

The world reformed, and her blood ran cold as she found herself in what looked like a torture chamber. She had been there before…

Footsteps rang from the darkness behind her. She turned, and gasped as she saw the blue-haired youth standing there, clad only in white rags, his right eye surrounded by a tattoo in red ink. So intricate was it, that it seemed as if his eye formed a part of the pattern. It give his face a look of dark and terrible malice, made all the worse by that smirk.

"J-Jellal..." Erza gasped. She remembered what Mystogan told her.

'_It's only an illusion! It's not him! He's not here_!' Erza shook her head...only for Jellal to disappear from her sight.

And then her right hand was pulled into the air, drawing her up off the ground. She looked up, and saw a manacle around her wrist, with a chain reaching up into the darkness. She drew her sword, and swung it to slice the chain.

A blast of dark magic lanced from the shadows, blasting her sword out of her hand. She snarled in frustration, looking around for her assailant. There was Jellal again, a long whip in his hands. He drew it back, and Erza braced herself for the impact, but it never came. Erza realised that he was facing away from her, towards a line of prisoners hanging from chains much as she was.

He cracked the whip, and a girl with brown hair shaped like cat ears screamed.

"Millianna!" Erza howled. She turned back towards Jellal, fear in her eyes. "Stop it! You got me back! Punish me instead!"

Jellal turned to look at her, and shook his head. He cracked the whip again, blood spraying against the cold stone walls.

"Wally!"

Crack.

"Sho!"

Crack.

"Simon!"

Crack.

"STOP IT! STOP THIS NOW! JELLAL!" Erza screamed. Jellal turned his head towards her, the whimpering children no longer his priority. He lifted his hand, and let loose a burst of magic, striking the Armor Mage in the chest.

But she no longer had her prized breastplate, only her old white rags. She lifted her left arm to protect herself, when she realized that her arm was free, and the buzzer was within arms-reach on a nearby table. All she had to do was press it, and she could end all their suffering.

She grabbed the device, finger right over it...and she paused. Even as Jellal approached, whip in hand, she bit her lip. This was her deepest darkest fear: facing Jellal again, seeing her friends suffer at his hands, without her beloved armor to protect her.

And no one to come and save her.

"Erza...why did...you leave us?" croaked Sho, wincing in agony.

"Why...why didn't you take us with you?" asked Wally panting as tears fell.

"Erza...it hurts..." sniffled Millianna.

Erza's heart clenched as her finger fluttered over the button. Her fear was swelling, rising like a tidal wave, but underneath it was something far deeper, far worse. It was something sick and cold, coiling around her heart like a constricting serpent, ready to squeeze the life and strength from her.

She flinched as Jellal cracked the whip, the tip striking the ground next to her. She saw the arm rise, ready to bring the whip down again, to give her pain, and shame. His arm…

Arm. An arm. Her arm. Her arm was free.

"I'll save you all!"

Her heart rose like a phoenix, her free hand lashing out at Jellal. There was a sword in her hand, the whip coiling around it. She yanked it back, tearing the whip from his hand, then struck out at the chain constraining her, shattering it in one mighty blow.

"I swear it!" She dropped to the ground, tossing away the buzzer and grasping her sword in both hands. Jellal shrank back, the murderous smirk replaced by stark terror.

"I'll return! And I'll stop him! And save every one of you!" She charged, leaping high for an overhead slash. The sword came down, striking Jellal on the crown, to shatter bone and spill blood and brain.

But it didn't. There was no bone, no blood, no brain. The chamber was gone, and Erza was back in the hold of the ship. In place of her nightmare's skull there was Mystogan's staff, raised to parry her blow.

"Relax," he said. "You passed." He tapped the ground with his staff once more. Erza fell, adrenalin spent, onto a set of pillows conjured beneath her.

* * *

Mirajane stood across from Mystogan, arms folded, as she awaited her test to begin.

She was feeling confident, all the more so after hearing that Erza had passed. Maybe Macao and Wakaba weren't cut out to be S-Class mages, but if Erza and even _Coby _could manage it, she was damned if she was going to fail.

"Bring it on," said Mirajane with a confident visage. "I'm ready for this test."

Mystogan did not answer. He tapped his staff, and the world around them _changed_.

"This is an illusion. This is not real." She closed her eyes, hands clenched. "This is an illusion. This is not real."

And then she heard it, the crackle of burning timber, the rumble of the fire. She could smell the smoke, feel the heat on her skin. She opened her eyes, and her heart crashed against her ribs as she saw the sight she could never, _ever _forget.

It was her old home.

And before it stood a shadow, a black shape silhouetted by the leaping flames. It was female, and it was _smiling._

"This is an illusion," Mirajane hissed, _forcing _herself to remember Makarov's words. "This is not real. This an illusion. This is not real. This is an illusion. This is not real. This is an illusion. This is not real!"

She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to remember this. She had spent so many years trying to forget it, to live on in spite of it.

She heard a roof timber cracking, and jumped to the side as burning wreckage fell to the ground. The dark shape was upon her, swinging a clenched fist in a knife blade glittered in the firelight. Mirajane dodged, dropping her buzzer, and the saw the figure in the glow.

It was a face she knew well, only too well. It was her own face, were she fully grown. The eyes were a dull sapphire, the face caked white with ashes and dust, and specks of blood.

"This is an illusion! This is not real! This is an illusion! This is not real!" She repeated the mantra over and over as the insane woman that was her mother approached. "You're just a product of magic! Made to test my resolve! I'm stronger than you! Not real! Not real!"

The mad Strauss pointed left, but Mirajane's gaze didn't so much as flicker. She didn't want to see what she was pointing at. Nor did she want to think about it. Her mother lashed out again. Mirajane leapt back, and then she saw them.

The bodies lay where they had fallen, strewn over the ruins. She saw Elfman, slumped against a burning couch, his lowed body crushed by burning debris, pain and shock etched onto his face forever. And there was Coby, eyes dark and lifeless, lying face down on the carpet, his body draped over a still-living Lisanna. Her eyes were like plates, her body stiff with catatonia, her mouth open in a silent scream.

"NOOOOO!" Mirajane screamed she reached for her head, hands clawing her head. "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!" She saw the buzzer on the floor and ran for it, but flames blocked her away.

She fell to the ground, and saw the empty-eyed woman sashaying towards her. Her heart pounded, but her arms were limp. She had to do something, but what?

"_Mira!"_ Time seemed to slow down.

"Who..."

_""Wake up, Mira! Dammit, wake up! Don't sleep, Mira! If you sleep...you'll never wake up!"_

She saw Coby's face looking down on her, the way it had that day…

Him again. It was always _him_. Even in the trials, when she was supposed to stand on her own. That shrimp-eating pink haired child soldier of an idiot, who became her rival by a cruel twist of fate.

"_Your guild-mates are the one who always have your back no matter what. If they fall, you help pick them up and they will help you when you fall. You drink with them, laugh with them, fight alongside them."_

Mirajane smiled, standing up and regaining her footing as her insane mother approached her.

"Man...even when I can manage rent and bills for my family... I can't even take care of myself..." Mirajane's body glowed with magic, purple light illuminating the burning room. The She-Devil reopened her eyes, her claws flexed and tail lashing. "But I guess that's what guilds are for...man was I the idiot..."

"Why am I gonna die~?" swayed the mother in a desperate but sing-song tone. "Children should serve their parents as gratitude to their love right? So why am I going to die so soon~?"

"Being in a Guild isn't just a place for employment...it's a community."

"It's unfair!" The mother's visage shifted darkly. "I worked and slaved away my prime to make sure my parents were treated well into their dying years! I didn't meet Ulric until I had them in retirement homes! So why...why am I going to die! This is too soon! Those stupid magic doctors couldn't do anything! So...so..."

"A community to help a family grow and be nurtured."

"So...we can all die together Mira my baby! That way we can all be together in heaven! You can find a boy in heaven and serve me~, then when you have kids they can cater to you...doesn't that sound nice darling?"

"And here I thought it was only a place to get money to raise Lisanna and Elfman..." Mirajane lifted her hand up, staring defiantly at her lunatic of a mother. "I was blind to the truth, but I learned something from this test..."

"Mirajane~!" The mother placed both hands on the knife and charged. "Let's all go to heaven together!"

"That something..." Mirajane's hand glowed with dark magic. Her eyes glared at the laughing murderer.

"That something, is that I once thought of family and friends as two different entities, separated by blood. But that is not the case anymore."

The dark light glowed brighter.

"My friends...are my family! And I am not afraid you!"

The mother thrust forward. In her minds eye, Mirajane saw images of Makarov and Laxus, Gildarts, Erza, and finally Coby side by side with Lisanna and Elfman.

"Not anymore!_ **Soul**__** Extinction**_!"

* * *

**Aye yae yae, it seems the only fic I can write is this one. Never Alone is in a quagmire and while I feel inspiration for Words coming back to me, I just can find it. Maybe when I watch more of Kill la Kill it will come to me. Plus, adding onto midterms, Dark Souls, getting into Magi: Labyrinth of Magic, laziness and other stuff has kept me busy. Hopefully I can go at a Month-a chapter or less pace.**

**Anyways, here is the next chapter and the first part of the S-Class Trials. Surprise! Cana passed the first trial(you can easily guess what her nightmare-vision would be). What will the other trials contain? That remains to be seen. Guess Wakaba and Macao aren't cut out for S-Class work after all.**

**Also, Tartaros has finally been introduced in Fairy Tail and it really leaves me torn of what to do for MY vision of Tartaros. I planned on them being...a bit different than what we are getting. Granted, I liked how they cut off the head of the snake that is the council but I thought it was a bit too soon. I'd rather think of them moving in the shadows. But so help me if Laxus gets jobbed by Tempesta...**

**Anyways, Mirajane has overcome her inner fear(as does Erza and Coby for that matter), that being of her insane mother. The event that resulted in the father and mother's death lead Mirajane to compensate towards Lisanna and Elfman to be the mother they should have had, and any mom will go to great lengths for their children after all. She mainly had a Us(her family) over Them(everyone else) mentality and she finally learned that her guild mates, who gone to great lengths to help her, are her family as well. More of that Mashima "Guild=Family" shtick that's true to the series. Don't see that as making Deus ex Machina in the future though.**

**I was torn between choosing Blackbeard to be Coby's nightmare, but I guess thanks to Teach being well, another world away, he's not so much of a threat to Coby as Ivan is.**

**Also, I changed the test to fit the Trials theme, as an author who PMed me ripped me a new asshole over. Thank you, looking back I let my love for Tower of God get in the way of thinking over of a smart test.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-K and Murazor.**


	25. Chapter 25

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

The nightmare was over.

The moment Mirajane's spell erupted from her fingertip, the burning home shattered like glass. The dark magic met with a barrier, dissipating like a torrent of water rushing against a boulder.

Mystogan stood there, staff raised, his magical barrier shimmering blue as Mirajane panted. She looked up at him, feeling her adrenaline fade.

"Did I pass?"

"Yes. Congratulations," replied Mystogan under his cloak and mask. "Go to the cabins behind me and wake up the other test takers." He tapped the ground with his staff and an orb of light materialized over his head. He then directed it behind him and the pillar, where it led to a semicircle of cabin doors.

"Then I head topside to see Master Makarov right?" asked Mirajane.

"Yes."

Mirajane smiled confidently and crossed her arms as she passed him. "Man, I gotta say, this test was easy peasy! I-" She turned around to see Mystogan's reaction, but he had disappeared. The orb of light remained, right where he once stood.

The silver haired girl rolled her eyes. "Weird."

Truth be told, she never anticipated a test like that. She had been close, so very close, to pressing the buzzer and fleeing the nightmare. She knew why, and she hated herself for it. She had been told the first trial was a nightmare, that it wasn't real. But the sight of her murdered family, and Coby along with them, had almost broken her.

_Almost_. Her mother died in that fire long ago. That Coby was there should have made it obvious that the vision was false. Perhaps a part of her had known, and drawn strength from it.

As Mirajane opened the door, she saw Coby sleeping peacefully on a hammock. She smiled as she looked down at him.

"I guess this puts me in your debt once again," she said in a low voice. "If it hadn't been for you, I would never have gotten through that nightmare. Heck, if you never came to this world, I would have failed that test. Even though we're rivals in this Trial, you're still helping me."

She put a hand on his shoulder and nudged him a little. The pink haired marine stirred and he twisted in the hammock.

"No…Lisanna…"

Mirajane gasped. Was Coby having a nightmare too? About her sister? What kind of horror were they both facing?

She wanted to wake him up. She had to wake him up. She needed to deliver him from his nightmare, to bring him out of the darkness and into the light, where she was there for him.

But then she paused, as she realised that Coby was laughing.

"T-That tickles…s-stop…"

Mirajane's eye twitched. She grabbed the rim of his hammock and yanked it up, depositing the sleeping marine on the floor with a crash.

"Owww…" Coby groaned. "What the…"

"Get up. We passed," growled Mirajane. "You wake up Erza, I'll wake up Cana." She spun on her heel and strode out of the cabin.

"Was that really necessary though?" grumbled the marine, rubbing his back. "You could have woken me up more gently. I was in the middle of a good dream too."

The silver-haired girl paused in the doorway, and gave Coby a glare.

"Exactly." She walked out, and only then allowed herself to smile as she headed for Cana's door.

'_Coby. Thank you...for helping…_'

* * *

"It is with pride and honor that I say congratulations!" proclaimed Makarov, smiling as he looked down upon the test takers from the rafter overlooking the deck. Gildarts was at the wheel and Laxus was at his side. "You four have passed the First Test of the S-Class Promotion Trials!"

"Alright!" whooped Coby. He held out his hand for a high five, which Erza accepted.

"It's amazing that over half of us passed, I'm surprised to say the least!" said the redhead. Cana returned a high five to Coby, while Mirajane stood there, arms crossed.

"Oh? Did you expect half of us to pass then?" asked Cana. She grinned. "I think it's funny that the old guys didn't pass at all!" She snickered as she glanced at a stewing Macao and Wakaba, sitting side-by-side nearby.

"Hey! You try being chained to bed while your wife goes 'bonobo in heat' on you!" barked Wakaba.

"Yeah! You try changing diapers! I-I had so many kids…" Macao shivered, his face pale. "The diapers…they just kept coming! They never stopped! My nose was burned and-"

"You had a nightmare about babies! What a joke!"

"You should love your wife, and yet you buzzed out of that! Coward!"

"Have you ever seen my wife! And who you calling coward, coward!"

The kids laughed heartily, treasuring their shared moment. Even Gildarts stifled a laugh behind his hand.

"Now now, everyone," giggled Makarov, stopping his laughter with a cough. "I suppose some of you are wondering about the true purpose of this test?"

"I think I know," said Mirajane, stepping forward. "It was to conquer our deepest fear, to face and overcome it, even when you have the option of escape."

Gildarts nodded, smiling. "Correct. You see, as an S-Class Mage you will encounter a lot of scary things while on the job. Whether in the form of a Bonobo nympho," he looked over at Wakaba, feeling his lips tug up. The Smoke Mage wished he would sink into the floor boards. "Or something more frightening, like a murderer or a monster. In real life you won't have a buzzer to make the bad guys go away. If escape is impossible, you need to tackle adversity head on."

"The strength to face it is the strength to overcome it," said Erza. "Just as you said Mira."

"Correct," Makarov nodded. "For now, let us prepare dinner. Macao, Wabaka, you can join us for the meal." He smiled cheekily at his guild mates. "You are in my guild, I can't exclude you now can't I?"

The two men stood up and nodded. "Thank you Master." The dwarf looked back towards the four children.

"Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering what the next test will be. That information will be withheld until right before the beginning of the second trial. For now, relax and enjoy yourselves." He pumped his fist into the air. "Tonight we party!"

Cheers erupted across the deck. Coby looked towards his fellow guild mates, his triumphant friends.

"So…" he rubbed the back of his head, getting their attention. "I take it no one wants to mention what they saw right?" The girls faces fell, from jubilation to sullenness.

"I'd…prefer to keep that to myself," said Erza.

"Me too" added Cana.

"Triple for me, It's…" Mirajane looked to the side. "A bit personal."

Coby nodded, smiling. "I understand. I also cannot mention what I saw as well. Let's just keep it to ourselves." He saw Laxus waving at him and looked up.

"Yo Coby!" called out Laxus. "Wanna help cook?"

"Is it seafood?"

"Yes."

"Count me in!" He beamed, running up to Laxus.

"Hey hold it!" called out Mirajane, running after him. "Knowing you, you'll devour everything!"

"No I won't! I…will just have a taste test."

"More like a taste feast! Let me cook!"

Erza sighed, looking back at Cana, then grinned mischievously as an idea popped into her head. "After dinner…wanna challenge Coby to a drinking contest?"

The brunette had the devil's smile, her eyes glinting. "Oh do I ever!"

Erza ran off after the trio as they entered the galley, leaving Cana out on the deck. She looked up, and saw Gildarts converse with Makarov. The auburn-haired man grinned and waved back. Cana smiled back awkwardly and walked into the cabin.

In the cabin, alone at last, her spirits sank. She could not yet forget those words, or those hard, disgusted eyes.

"_I have no daughter. And I wouldn't want one if she was weak like you._"

Cana bit her lip and shook her head. She reached into her pocket for a flask and took a slight swig. Better to be buzzed and happy than sober and depressed, haunted by the nightmare she hadn't been strong enough to defeat. She had screamed at the top of her lungs, denying the nightmare, denying the false, cruel Gildarts. It had been enough to convince Mystogan, but had she not dropped the buzzer…

'_My passing…was a fluke…_'

Cana walked down into the cellar below. Erza, now dressed in a maid outfit, was setting the table.

"Ah! Cana. Wanna help me set the table?"

Cana pocketed her flask and nodded, forcing a smile as she tried to put those words out of her mind. It didn't matter now, and t least she could spend time with her guild mates.

And there would be rum to drink!

"Sure."

* * *

_The next day_

"Land on the port side!" called out Laxus from the crow's nest. Those on deck stopped what they were doing and hurried over to the port side, eager for the sight of land. Makarov reached into his pocket, pulling out his watch. He looked up to Gildarts who nodded back and went down into the cabins below.

"So Makarov," asked Coby, coming to a halt beside him. "Is the next test coming up soon?"

"I can't say Coby, be patient," replied the dwarf as he looked out to the horizon. Coby shrugged and walked back over to his dumbbells, each with 100 K etched in bright yellow letters. He lifted them up effortlessly, and began his exercises.

Cana was lounging in the sun in her green one-piece swimsuit, Mirajane and Erza doing likewise in purple-white polka dots and bright red respectively. Coby thought of reminding them that they would need to be ready, but decided against it. Erza had her Requip magic, and the other girls had their clothes nearby.

And if the test was to take place in the water, they would have no need to change. It would be awkward, but Coby couldn't say he would mind.

Lightning crackled overhead. The girls jumped and looked up, Coby doing likewise. Laxus was in Lightning Body, heading towards the mainland of Minstrel.

"All right!" Makarov shouted out. "The Second Test of the S-Class Trials will begin shortly! All the candidates, gather around!" The moment Makarov finished his sentence, Gildarts walked out of the door leading into the ship with a large crate. Coby was about to open his mouth, but a glance from Makarov silenced him.

"I am going to explain the Second Test, but first you must wear these." Macao and Wakaba looked on from the upper deck, the latter on the wheel and gazing down at the crate as Gildarts rummaged through it.

"Here," the older man handed out white fanny packs to each of the teenagers.

"Now then, I will explain how this Test will carry out. Wakaba, stop the boat. Macao! Lower the anchor!" Both men obeyed, Macao using his Fire Magic to lower the anchor, Wakaba assisting with his smoke magic.

"Now then," Makarov said, turning back to the teenagers. "The first portion of the Trials tested the strength of your hearts. Now, we're going to test the strength of your bodies."

Coby seemed to have understood. "An Iron Man?"

"In a way, it is something of an Aqualthon. The Second Test will begin here on this boat. You must first swim from the ship all the way to shore, a distance of ten kilometres. Once you reach land, you will be in the Kobzar Province and must continue on foot, a hundred kilometres from the shore to the foot of the Bardios Mountain, where Laxus awaits you. Whoever gets to that checkpoint will advance to the next test."

"Ten kilometers…swimming?" Cana gulped.

"And a hundred kilometers running?" Erza was surprised, and a little unsettled.

"Is there a time limit?" asked Mirajane. If she was intimidated, she made no show of it.

"Forty-eight hours. It is quarter to two. Once the clock strikes two…" Makarov drew numbers and a colon in mid-air before them, like the face of a digital clock. The clock began to blink.

1:56.

"…the test will start."

"So tomorrow at two in the afternoon is when the Second Test ends, got it. But what's with these fanny packs?" Asked Coby. "Are they survival gear?"

"In a way yes," answered Gildarts. "Inside of these water-sealed fanny packs is a water-resistant Magic Flare Gun. If at any point you are either too exhausted or you're in a precarious situation, just use this flare gun and either Laxus or Mystogan will come and rescue you. But as with the buzzer, to use it is to be disqualified."

"Just bear in mind," Makarov went on, his tone suddenly grim. "These are not nightmares, not illusions to scare you. There are monsters and dangerous fauna along the route. Use this if your life is in grave danger. I don't want anyone dying out here, understand? You can always get another opportunity to get into the Trials another time."

There were nods all around.

"Good. I'm glad to see you understand. There's also a water bottle in the fanny pack along with six Protein Bars. Use them as sparingly as possible."

"What if we run out of food and water?" Asked Erza.

"You'll be in the great outdoors. Just don't eat any odd-looking mushrooms or drink still water."

"And magic is allowed correct?" Coby asked. Mirajane looked at him with a quizzical expression.

"But of course," answered Makarov with a smile. "This will test not just your physical body, but also your magical abilities too. And the Flare Guns have their own lacrima, so they'll still work if you've run out of magic power."

Coby let out a sign of relief. He feared that these Flare Guns were something like the SE-Plugs, where one needed magic power to fire the gun. Makarov and the S-Class Magi had thought this through, and for his sake too! Best of all, he didn't allude to the fact that Coby wasn't a Mage.

His secret was still safe.

Unbeknownst to him, Cana gave him a raised eyebrow.

Coby took off his shirt and tossed it to the side. "If we take off our clothes here, will Mystogan or Gildarts give them to us on the shore?" he asked the dwarf.

"That can be arranged," replied Makarov. The other girls stood near the edge of the boat with Coby. To his left was Mirajane and Erza, the two of them grinning.

"I'll leave you in my dust Erza, just you wait."

"We'll see about that Mira."

Coby looked back out to the sea, eye on the land far in the horizon.

'This isn't a race to who is the fastest. It's who has the most endurance,' he thought to himself. He smiled. The marine knew what he was doing. All those training sessions with Garp were about to pay off, big time.

"How nostalgic," he murmured out loud.

Cana stood on Coby's right, hands at her cards. She gave him another odd look before looking back out over the water. Gildarts gave them the fanny packs, which they wrapped tightly around their waists. Makarov stood on the gunwhale, looking down at the four teens.

1:59

"Alright! Let the Second Test of the S-Class Promotion Trials!"

2:00.

"Begin!"

The four dived into the water. Cana jumped in feet first, while Coby, Erza, and Mirajane went hands-first. Coby surfaced and began to swim, kicking his legs and pushing out his arms in a front crawl. He felt the familiar sting of salt water in his eyes.

A dark shape shot underneath him. Coby knew who it was. The barracuda, wearing Mirajane's purple ribbon, raced out in front, the other fish scattering before it. Coby swam on, cutting through the water with the practiced ease of a trained marine, and one who had lived on the sea for much of his life. He felt the water shift, and glanced left to see the water glowing with a strange, almost certainly magical light.

"Requip! Sea Empress Armor!"

Erza erupted from the waves, her lithe body clad in armour Coby had never seen before. The breastplate, really more of an open-fronted corset, was fashioned like fronds of seaweed. Form-fitting plates covered her legs and forearms, her elbows, ankles, and shoulders sornamented with decorative fins, though those on the shoulders were blue rather than green. Her abdomen was almost completely uncovered, but for a black bikini augmented with a pair of starfish-like plates on her hips, while a white skirt hung from the back like a cape. A blue crown adorned her brow, ornamented with spread-fins flaring out from her cheek pieces. Her right gauntlet clutched a crystal-bladed longsword, with flaring fins for cross-guards.

Coby stared in disbelief as the waves bent to her will, and she stood up upon the waters. To see her standing there, in such lewd armour…

The redhead saw him, and shot him a confident smirk.

"Well Coby, I'll see you at Bardios, if you can make it that is!" The water below her became a wave. She thrust her sword forward, and Coby stared open-mouthed as the wave carried her to the coast, faster than any boat he had ever seen.

"Not cool!" he called out as he began to swim after her.

"Card Magic: Water Nimbus!" Coby turned again, and saw a glow of azure light. The light became Cana, hovering over the water on what looked like a small cloud. The brunette grinned down at him.

"See ya round!" The girl took a swig from her flask and sped off towards the coast.

And Coby was alone.

He sighed and swam on, taking deep breaths as his lungs strained. He _could _have used Geppou to catch up, but he suspected he would need the stamina later. Besides, it was only ten kilometres.

'The land part will be the hardest," he thought.

He faced the distant shoreline, remembering how easily the others had overtaken him. Something hot and angry rose inside him, burning away the cold of the water.

"I can't transform!" he barked between breaths, as he forced himself on. "I can't manipulate the elements! I can't ride on clouds!"

A wave bore him up, then hurled him down again. Coby surfaced, drawing in a hard, quick breath.

"But I'm not…gonna…lose!"

* * *

**Well then, once a month updates should please ya right?**

**Anyways, I figured that if Erza were to pass on this segment of the exam, then Mirajane would have failed in the First Test had it not been for Coby when we learn that Erza passed first, then Mirajane, etc.**

**Also, finals are completed but I will be heading home for the holidays. Then it's back to a new semester. Updates maybe a bit slower...or faster...who knows.**

**Anyways, hope you all enjoyed.**

**Beta'ed by Juubi-k**


	26. Chapter 26

**I do not own Fairy Tail or One Piece. Those belong to Hiro Mashima and Eichiro Oda respectively.**

* * *

_Mirajane_

Mirajane swam under the waves, darting effortlessly through the currents. Other fish fled before her, fearing her barracuda form.

The Take Over felt a smirk tug at her lips. She couldn't see anyone up ahead; she was in the lead.

'_Good…all I need to do is to maintain this pace and make sure no one gets in front_,' she thought to herself.

Up ahead, she saw dark objects swimming in the water. Mirajane's eyes widened.

'_Sharks_.' She dived deeper, making sure to avoid the predators. She felt confident in her ability to fry the beasts, but she didn't want to take any risks or waste any Magic Power. Mirajane swam into a school of fish to blend in…only for the fish to scatter away in fright. Mirajane saw the sharks' posture change, their eyes upon her as they began to swim around her rather than over her.

They were circling her.

"Tch," Mirajane scoffed. "Catch me if you can!" She swam upwards at an angle, and the white-finned predators began to chase. Mirajane glanced back, and her heart beat faster as they gained on her. The foremost shark opened its needle-toothed maw, and Mirajane had to swerve hard to keep her tail from being bitten off. She saw the surface drawing closer, and put on all her speed, erupting from the water like a dolphin.

"Take Over!" Her body glowed as it changed shape. Her barracuda form was gone, replaced with an owl, her purple ribbon on its head. She fluttered high above the surface, watching the sharks as they prowled around, denied their prey. She turned her head, and saw a rising wave with a familiar figure standing on top of it.

"Oh no you don't!" Mirajane said aloud as she turned towards the mainland and began pumping her wings.

* * *

_Erza_

Erza stood atop of the wave, sword pointed forward. She blew past a duo of sharks; circling around as if they were looking for something. Glancing around, she saw an owl flying hard for the coast. But there shouldn't be any…

"Mira." She smirked. Did Mirajane get scared of some sharks? She would have turned them into shark sushi had they come near her like that!

She continued on towards the mainland. Good sense prescribed a slower pace, but the _need _to beat Mirajane to the goal was too strong to ignore. It took her about half an hour to reach the owl's tail feathers.

"Yo Mira, how is the height up there?" asked Erza coyly as the owl turned it' head toward her.

"Fine, now get lost you red slug!" Mirajane snapped. She turned towards the mainland, pumping her wings hard to get away.

"Who are you calling slug, featherbrain!" Erza barked back. She poured more magic into the waves, increasing her speed. The raced on, bickering all the while.

* * *

_Coby_

Coby kept his pace, arms slicing through the water, raising his head to take breaths as his legs kicked under him. He wasn't sure, but it must have been about half an hour since he jumped off the boat.

He was enjoying the swim. It reminded him of the times he and Helmeppo swam around the Marine base under Garp's orders for training.

As his eyes went underwater, he noticed a pair of sharks swimming below. Most would have been frightened by their presence, but most people would be the people of Earthland. Coby wasn't in the least afraid. They were just animals like any other, surviving as best they could. They attacked humans it was true, but usually because they mistook them for seals, their usual prey, if they were on surfboards. Compared to Sea Kings, the apex predators of the Grand Line, sharks just didn't seem like much of a threat.

The sharks had noticed him, and were swimming closer. Coby continued on his course. He had a little trick in mind, one Garp had taught him, for situations like this.

One of them swam within arm's reach. Coby reached out with one hand, and gently pushed the tapering snout away. As the shark swam away, the pink-haired boy smiled as he did the same with its companion.

'_Good sharks, you go hunt elsewhere_.' He swam up to the surface and took a long, deep breath.

"Okay…land is…" Coby's head swivelled left and right, searching for any sign of land. There it was, just off to his right, and not far.

"Alright." He took a deep breath and continued his swimming, without a care in the world and not even feeling winded. "Better get moving…"

* * *

_Cana_

"Made it!" cheered the brown-haired girl as she reached the sand-bar. She stood up, wiping sweat from her brow as she waded up the beach. Before her was a vast, grassy plain, and beyond it the Bardios mountains, a hundred kilometres distant.

She reached into her fanny pack and pulled out a ration bar. She bit into it, and her face lit up.

"Huh. Granola. Sweet!" She finished the bar, took a swig from her water bottle, then began walking towards the mountains. She limited herself to a brisk walk, so as to preserve what remained of her energy.

Up ahead Cana saw a dust cloud, moving further and further away. She smirked.

* * *

_Erza and Mirajane_

"You're not getting the best of me armor-freak!"

"Right back at you, you toad!"

Sparks flew between Erza and Mirajane's eyes as they sprinted towards the mountain. Both girls were panting and heaving, but still they charged on.

"Starting to slow down eh? Guess all those strawberry cakes you've been binging on have gone right to your thighs!"

"And who's been spending a lot of time cooking? You've been looking softer ever since you got that Cookery Book from the Master for your birthday! Feeling your skirt get tighter?"

"Am not, Sword-lover!"

"Are too, you troll!"

* * *

_Cana_

"Why am I not surprised?" chuckled Cana as she followed the dust cloud. Let them tire themselves out; she was just fine with her pace.

* * *

_Coby_

Coby finally reached the shore and settled down on the sand.

"Phew." He wiped his brow and rested his hands on his head, chest rising and falling. "Just like a morning swim." He began stretching out his legs, fingers touching toes, balancing to one side and then to the other and more. Coby took a deep breath as he opened up his fanny pack and took a swig of water. Bottling up the drink and eating a ration bar, he turned towards the mountains and noticed some foot prints.

"Oh?" There were two sets running side-by-side, and another set close by. "Well, should be no surprise that I'm last. Time to get a move on!" He smiled as he jogged up the sand and onto the soft grass. Compared to the hard concrete he and Helmeppo had endured running around their base after swimming, this was like running on soft cushions. He felt the flare gun bounce in his fanny pack and remembered Makarov's words.

_"Just bear in mind," Makarov went on, his tone suddenly grim. "These are not nightmares, not illusions to scare you. There are monsters and dangerous fauna along the route. Use this if your life is in grave danger."_

Coby looked back up, arms pumping and drawing slow, deep breaths as he jogged along. Before long, he noticed that the grass around the footprints was scorched and blackened.

"Erza and Mira are fighting again." His face fell at the thought. "Those two. This is an endurance test, not a race. Can't they see that?" He shook his head. They were both teenagers, yet their rivalry turned them into brats.

"If I come across them, I'd better tell them that," Coby said aloud. "Wouldn't want to be the one that solos this test!"

* * *

_Mirajane and Erza_

The two teenagers staggered, puffing and wheezing, sweating under the hot sun. Erza's Running Armor, consisting of sneakers, yellow short shorts, and red tank top, was soaked with sweat. Mirajane's own outfit stank of stale sweat, adding insult to injury.

The pair fell face-first to the ground, exhaustion finally overtaking them. They had managed thirty kilometres since leaving the sea, at a full-on sprint.

"God…damn it…all…" panted Mirajane as she tried to rise, only to fall flat on her face. Erza said nothing, but lay where she had fallen, breathing heavily. She glanced at Mirajane, and saw her scrabbling in her fanny pack for her water bottle. Erza rolled onto her back and sat up, opening up her own pack for her own bottle. The stale water was like nectar in her dry mouth. Both turned their heads to look at the still-distant mountains, maybe seventy kilometres away.

Mirajane downed more water, put the bottle back in her fanny pack, and began crawling on her arms and knees towards the mountain. Erza felt her pride rise anew, and she began to crawl after her.

"You're not…getting…the better…of _me_!" Erza spat out some dirt, feeling the dirt mesh with the sweat pouring off her.

"Right…back at you…thunder thighs…" Mirajane wheezed, and the two girls continued to bicker as they crawled towards the mountain range.

* * *

_Cana_

Cana slowed to a walk, wiping the sweat from her brow and taking deep breaths. She winced, her hand dropping to her right hip as it throbbed with pain

"Owww…." she groaned, slowing her walk as she rubbed her side. "I was afraid of this…stupid side-aches!" She took in a deep breath.

"No matter, I might as well just power walk the rest of the way." She sped up her walk, her right hand caressing her side.

"Yo!" called out a voice from behind. Cana turned her head, and saw a figure in the near distance, waving cheerfully at her.

"Coby! How did he…?"

Cana was quite surprised. She never anticipated Coby, who was stuck swimming to shore, to catch up to her THIS fast. Did he have some sort of magic to help him catch up? Or was she walking too much?

The old jealousy rose within her, piqued by the sight of him, by his cheerfulness. But it wasn't because he was about to catch up. It was because of Gildarts Clive.

She should have said something. But she had blown every chance, her words freezing in her throat. She…she didn't know what to say, or how to say it. She just felt so _jealous _of that he was so close to Gildarts, as if they were father and son.

Her eyes narrowed. She turned away, and began to jog.

"No wait! Stop!"

Surprised by his tone, Cana turned her head again. Coby was sprinting towards her, panic written all over his face. Suddenly he leapt into the air and swung his leg, sending an azure air blade whistling towards her.

"What the-!"

Cana dropped flat, and the ground in front of her exploded in a shower of dirt. Long, spindly legs reached out of the freshly-open hole, only to be severed by the air blade. The thing shrieked in pain, and Cana took the chance to back away and get to her feet.

Now she could see it clearly. In the hole before her was a Trap-Door Spider, the biggest she had seen in a long time. It skittered and staggered, black blood gushing from its forelegs where the air blade had severed them. Its fangs undulated, and its myriad eyes flashed.

It was hideous. It was hungry.

It was _angry._

Cana shrieked as the spider lunged at her, scrabbling away as it pulled itself out of the pit. Another azure blade hissed through the air, striking the beast in its nightmarish jaws. It shrieked again and staggered back into the pit. Coby ran past her, waving his arms

"Get back! Back down you go!" he yelled, waving his arms and making himself look bigger. The spider backed down, its courage spent, and retreated into the darkness. Coby panted, shoulders heaving up and down as he turned around towards her.

Cana expected to see arrogance or pride in his countenance. But instead there was only compassion in his eyes.

"Hey, you okay? That thing didn't hurt you did it?" He knelt down in front of the still-shocked girl, hand outstretched.

"N-No…" Cana gulped as she took his hand. "I-I'm fine…"

The two of them caught their breath as the wind gained speed, making a unique whistling sound through the grass.

"How did…" The brunette turned towards Coby. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Know when that spider was coming? And that blade…"

"Well, I encountered a trap door spider on my jog. It caught me," he gestured to his tattered shirt, "but I managed to kill it." Cana gasped.

"H-how! Weren't you caught and poisoned?!"

"Nah. I jammed my finger into its brain." He raised his other hand, covered in what looked like dried blood. "Before it could sink his fangs into me. Compared to what I've faced before, these guys are a joke." Coby chuckled awkwardly. "I figured that if there's more of these things, then we should be in the know. I found you first and then…I sensed that spider coming."

"Sensed it?" Cana quirked an eyebrow. "How?"

"Well…" Coby bashfully scratched his cheek. "That's sort of my magic. It's a type of Precognition I have, wherever killing intent is felt I can sense it, and I can see the future of what the holder of that killing intent does. So when I sensed that spider's killing intent rise…"

"You saw into the future?" Asked the girl. He nodded.

"And saw you getting grabbed, bitten, and dragged underground…that's why I did that Rankyaku when I did."

"Rankyaku?"

"The air blade. It's…another of my magic abilities." He looked away, his cheeks red.

"I see…well in that case…" Cana sighed and smiled lightly. "Thank you…you…" Her voice became shaky. "You saved my life…if that thing had dragged me under…" She trailed off, not wanting to think about it.

"Take it easy," Coby put a hand on her shoulder. "Fairy Tail members watch out for each other. Besides, you're a friend of mine."

The brunette felt blood rush to her cheeks. This wasn't the Coby she expected. Not at all!

"So," Coby stretched his arms then his legs. "Wanna catch up to Erza and Mira? We need to tell them before they run into any of those things. Knowing those two, they'll be tapped out already."

He laughed. Cana laughed with him.

"Yeah you're right. Saw the tracks?"

"Mmhmmm."

"Well…once we get back to Magnolia I owe ya a drink," Cana said softly. "You _did_ save my life." Coby looked awkward, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well…ummm…you-" He trailed off as his eyes met hers. There was a long, rather awkward pause.

"Of course…" He smiled lightly. "Your treat of course?"

"My treat. Shall we?"

"Lets." And the two jogged towards the mountains, Coby taking off his shirt.

"Wha-What are you doing!" exclaimed Cana, as he wrapped his shirt around his head like a turban.

"It's hot out," he replied cheerfully. "I do this when it's hot out." And then Cana's eyes fell on his bare chest.

'_OMIGOD HE'S A HOTTIE_!'

Coby was ripped! Not even Laxus could be THAT buff! Plus, his physique more like a gymnast than some macho muscle-man. He even had some scars too!

"Uhhh Cana? Something up?" Coby looked away, blushing. "You're staring…"

"Eh!" Cana gulped and looked away. "R-Right! S-Sorry about that Marinford!" Cana sped up, drawing level with him. "W-Where did you get those scars?" She asked, panting a little.

"My scars? Well…" Coby looked torn and bit his lip. "I…would rather not tell…"

"Oh! If it's personal I won't press anymore!" Cana pleaded. "Sorry…"

"It's alright. Thanks for understanding Cana." Coby smiled right back, and it was Cana's turn to look away as blood rushed to her cheeks.

"Lets just focus on finding those two idiots, preferably _before _they're spider food." Cana grinned ear to ear, showing teeth. Coby laughed aloud.

"Yeah, lets!"

* * *

_Erza and Mirajane_

The girls were on their feet, power-walking towards the mountains, now forty kilometres distance. They huffed and puffed, pumping one arm in front of the other as they tried to draw ahead. There were no words, only the sound of panting, and the occasional shared glare.

And then the ground gave way beneath them. It happened too fast for either to do anything more than cry out in surprise.

And then they stopped, landing on something bouncy.

"What the…" Mirajane croaked as she tried to move…but couldn't. She was bound by something sticky. "Erza…you alright?"

"Yeah…" panted the redhead. "I'm fine…what happened?

Mirajane pulled up her arm as far as she could, and saw a long white strand stuck to the underside. She checked her other arm, and then her legs, finding more white strands in a kind of grid pattern. It reminded her of…

Her blood ran cold as she looked around the shoulder, _praying _that it wasn't what she thought it was. There was little light, but enough to see the white strands reaching out in all directions.

"We're in a spider's web…"

* * *

**Here we are. The first CMM update of the new year.**

**Anyways, more of the Second Test, bonding and our girls are in a sticky situation Also, despite Cana gushing over Coby does not make this a harem. Coby will end up with ONE GIRL. I'm just testing the waters of which girl to pair him up with. Or teasing you. Or both. Or neither. **

**Anyways, why haven't I updated? School, laziness, fraternity business, my newest story Climb Every Mountain, Dark Souls 2, and other matters.**

**Hope you all enjoy.**


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